Lost in Titan's Land
by Split-Girl
Summary: She was found outside the walls by the Survey Corps, all injured and only one person could understand her. She was thus put in the 104th Batch Training Camp. Everyone was baffled that there was another Oriental other than her but this one's rather...odd. Three years later, they graduated together...and they're in for one heck of a life together. A life of skyrocketing body count.
1. Chapter 1

The Blonde Oriental

In Batch 104...six months after classes started...

Somebody is at the center of attention.

A blonde oriental injured girl who looked like somebody beat on her. It was horrible and yet a miracle she survived her injuries with immense blood loss, but she was able to move after a month.

One Eren Yeager was happy to see another oriental because he felt Mikasa, another oriental(forgetting she's half) won't be so lonely anymore and she isn't the last of her kind, and hope that there are more orientals out there somewhere and also, more people out there too not just people of their tiny city...struggling to live too...but if that was the case, how did she make it here? Alone and weaponless? What attacked her because the wounds are clearly human doing? And what's with the metal headband on her forehead? Some symbol? She was also skinny like a twig, malnourished and full of stress.

Too bad she's an amnesiac. Can't even talk and move much. But when she recovered, she COULD copy what everyone was doing. She was interested.

She made signs...while writing in her weird language.

Mikasa could only understand little, as her mother was killed by slave traders before advanced lessons could begin. So the girl wrote in simple alphabet for her sake.

'She said she wants to join us, instructor.' said Mikasa, relaying the words on paper.

'We could use a little lesson...can you say what she wants in your language and ours?' Instructor Keith Shadis asked her.

'On the paper is written 'kono kurasu ni sanka shitai. sore wa tanoshisou da ne. boku wa kotoga dekiruno' translated: I want to join this class. It looks fun. Can I?'

'Looks fun when people can DIE in classes?!' Bertholdt Hoover sputtered in disbelief, wide-eyed. 'Is crazy in the blood or something?' Mikasa shot him a withering glare out of offense. Her people aren't crazy thank you!

'Well, its what she wants.' Shadis shrugged. 'Well, she can't be a freeloader on us forever either, the higher-ups won't like that. She better make herself useful.' he said. 'What's her name?'

'Naa, anta no namae wa?' Mikasa asked the blonde girl. The girl blinked before deflating gloomily.

'...namae...nai...omoidasenai.' she said sadly in a rough, hoarse voice.

'...no good. Can't remember.' Mikasa shook her head.

'How about we give her one Mikasa? Something that sounds good in oriental-nese. Maybe she'd like that.' Eren suggested good-naturedly. 'You name her Mikasa.'

'Name...oy, its not like I'm naming a pet dog or something...' Mikasa blinked owlishly. 'But in my oriental tongue...huh?' she mused in deep thought. 'Naruto.'

'Eh?'

'Hah?'

'Naruto. That name means maelstrom. Her arrival threw all of us out in a loop, causing news mayhem that gave people hope that we're not the only humans left in this world so its fitting.' said Mikasa thoughtfully. 'She came here wearing a headband with a funny symbol right? A spiral in a leaf...spiral...Uzumaki. Her name will be Naruto Uzumaki.' she said before looking at the newly-christened blonde. 'Anta. Kyou kara ikou, kimi no namae wa Uzumaki Naruto. Ii ne?' the girl blinked before nodding.

'Hai! Arigato, Mikasa-san.' Naruto said gratefully before coughing. 'Uhhh...'

'I'll go get water!' Krista Lenz offered as she ran to get some water.

'Well, at least we got a name...but if we were to guess her age, she's around a year younger than you guys since she's smaller than any of you.' Shadis told the other trainees. 'But I suppose I can make an exception as the only one who can talk to her is Ackerman.' he said as Krista was soon back with water and gave it to the blonde who drank it and said her thanks.

'Er...arigato might be thank you?' Connie Springer asked Mikasa curiously and she nodded.

'Well, she's your responsibility.' Shadis told Mikasa, patting her shoulder with his right hand. 'You will teach her language every night after training and you'll be the one giving orders in my place until she can speak our language fluently. This is a Special Order, Cadet Ackerman!'

'Sir!'

xxx

Two years later...

Naruto clearly hung around Mikasa who hung around Eren and Armin, her childhood friends. They helped Naruto settle in their class and camp, and she followed them like a duckling to parent. She however, has a very high endurance, able to continue when everyone else complained of sore and tired bodies. Her language is still 'broken' with poor grammar like that of a toddler's and occasionally slipping in her language, but she's progressing well at least, working hard and caught up if only due to her stamina and endurance despite how skinny she was like a twig before and torn apart by whoever criminal beat her. Now there's meat and muscle under that skin, blossoming into a beautiful young woman.

She's loyal first and foremost to Mikasa if only because she 'made her exist'. Without a name, you can't exist after all. It must be an amnesiac thing to think that way. But she was also trying to get along with everyone even with her 'broken' language. Plus points for effort. However...she was like Sasha Blouse, a keen hunter but unlike Sasha, she has a strong sense of hearing and smelling. She also has a penchant for breaking one rule: hunting is NOT allowed due to dangers outside the walls. But she hunts anyway at night, bringing in game, and a lot of meat for the camp as meat is incredibly rare for underfunded programs like theirs and since the loss of Wall Maria, keeping cattle and pigs for meat got harder. She also steals baking goods for them to make bread, and a lot of milk by the gallons off farms under Noble Watch as someone in camp knows how to make cheese for bread. An incredibly skilled thief. She also steals barley for the men to make beer for themselves-it was one of the reasons why Shadis let her antics slide while the main operators of the school has no clue. Any man would WANT beer.

She only acts when she gets word that food supplies are getting low. To help her out in provisions, Armin suggested that while she gets food, they at least, 'make' water before bedtime. They would boil the water to sterilize it and nobody gets sick, then store the boiled water in barrels, letting them cool off in the night for drinking the next day...unless everyone is into coffee and tea to use boiling water, that is. When he said coffee and tea, Naruto asked what they looked like so she can steal them too!

This was because she was mad that they were fighting off Titans FOR the people yet they were so grossly under-supported both in funds and provisions, and were 'annoyed with ingrates'. So her means of revenge was thieving the richer cities for their sakes and how the hell she wasn't caught, Keith Shadis and his fellow camp instructors doesn't know. But more food means better camp performance(he's also benefiting from it), so he let it slide...as long as she's not caught. But he was snarking, 'The Military Police has gone shitty if they can't even catch a bright-haired oriental girl carrying off loads of goods at night! They used to train in this camp years ago when they were YOUR age AND there's only one gate per wall! What the fuck?!'

Amnesia aside...Naruto remembers skills she didn't know she had to make it possible. She could jump huge bounds without a 3DMG. She could run up on walls and walk on water. She could also have sudden bursts of agility if she wanted. She didn't understand but it came natural for her but understood that nobody else can do it, so she kept quiet about her skills. If she doesn't know HOW she does it as she does it out of instinct, she can't exactly teach it, can she?

Thus, Naruto's ways were a private secret and joke for the camp as she could clearly make fools out of the elitist yet clearly incompetent Military Police Force even if the job guaranteed a cushy, comfortable life. Well fed trainees meant better performance indeed and can perform better under pressure.

By the time all of them are 14...after surviving hellish physical conditioning and survival training...it was time for the training of usage of the Three-Dimensional Maneuvering Gear or 3DMG. They studied about it for one week...before going into practicals.

Practicals...

'First off, aptitude test!' Keith barked. 'If you can't even do this, you're not even worth being cannon fodder! I'll throw you into the landfills!'

The people who stood out perfectly, were Mikasa and Naruto. The others who got adept skills are Connie, Sasha, and a struggling Jean. Eren however...was upside down in a hilarious position...but when Naruto lent him her gear and he tried again, he could do it...revealing that his gear was defective, and had to be replaced.

After that, they went running on muddy grounds on rainy season no less...while packed with heavy camping gear, carrying it on their backs. Armin got scolded for lagging behind by Shadis. Close to graduation day, evaluations are being made on each day.

'Reiner Braun: a strong soldier physically and mentally, and has the firm trust of his comrades.'

'Armin Arlert: while lacking physically, he makes up for it academically.'

Sunny weather, Titan-Killing Practice in the forest...

'Annie Leonhart: while her strike form is flawless, she doesn't work well in a team. A lone wolf.'

'Bertholdt Hoover: he is highly talented, but lacks initiative.'

'Jean Kirstein: his 3DMG skills are top-class but his overly-blunt personality causes friction.'

'Sasha Blouse: talented at operating unconventionally but that mentality makes her fit for any organized activity.'

'Connie Springer: he has sharp skills in making sharp turns but his mind is not as sharp.'

'Mikasa Ackerman: her performance is exemplary in any subject, she is truly a genius of unprecedented significance.'

'Naruto Uzumaki: while barely-average in academics due to language issues, she makes up for it by being just as prodigious as Mikasa in physical activities and possesses great...unconventional skills(cough*thievery, hunting*cough). Has a tendency of acting impulsively for the sake of comrades through supportive means.'

'Eren Yeager: while he lacks any outstanding talents, he makes up for it with terrifying diligence and has a great sense of purpose.'

It went on. They became more focused on physical conditioning, survival skills, combat skills and 3DMG practice. Then it came: graduation day when they were all 15-16 years old.

That night, on the stage...

'For you trainees graduating today: three paths are open before you!' the Headmaster of the Training Camp barked. 'You can be stationed at the walls and defend the cities as members of the Garrison! Or you can put your lives on the line to fight the Titans in their own territory as a member of the Survey Corps! And you can serve the King by controlling crowds and maintaining order as members of the Military Police! Of course, only the top ten people we mentioned earlier are automatically allowed into the Military Police!'

Naruto placed 5th in the class. Her poor grades were highly compensated with her physical performances on par with Mikasa. Had she known their language, she also had potential to be Top 1 or 2. And she's the only one to decapitate her 'practice titans' completely, cutting off heads.

'That no Titan!' she sputtered out, flustered in embarrassment from the praise. 'That just stupid wood plank! Anyone can cut wood planks!'

'Even though the target cushions we're supposed to cut were sturdy material comparable to the real thing?' Jean said wryly, playfully giving her a noogie.

'You said it, comparable.' said Connie. 'We have yet to cut the real thing. Those cushions are imitations of the targets as best as the school could make it with our funds back then.' he said. 'If we were given more money, the school can make better target cushions that can pass off as perfect copies.' he pointed out.

'Our real graduation starts if we can cut the real thing after several months of cutting fakes, huh?' Eren shuddered in excitement. 'I can't wait!'

'Eren...you make pervert face.' Naruto bluntly pointed out, complete with childish pointing, causing the boy to choke and others choked in barely-restrained laughter. 'Perverts in streets make such face. Don't do that.'

'I-I'm not a pervert...' Eren spluttered out defensively.

'Change face then!'

'How the hell do I do that?! I was born with this face for years!' everyone finally cracked up laughing hysterically at his expense. Talks about what job to join was forgotten.

What Eren didn't know was that Mikasa gave her 'duckling' a job. Whenever talks about job orientations are spoken of, Naruto is to change the atmosphere because Eren is a tad too passionate and his passion sometimes causes friction and fights and he wanted everyone to fight the Titans with him. Thing is, not everyone is as crazy as he is.


	2. The Battle of Trost

The Battle of Trost

Yesterday was peaceful but today...peace was shattered by the Colossal Titan. Again.

Naruto saw a Titan for the first time in her life.

So big. So huge.

But a memory flashed back on her mind when she stood on a giant toad way bigger than it fighting a fat, sand...rodent(?) as big as the toad she was on. So she wasn't scared by the Titan while everybody was on full panic mode.

'Yesterday you were but Cadets but today onwards, you are real soldiers!' a high-ranking officer barked in Survey Corps Headquarters. 'I'm expecting great things from you!'

Naruto filled up their gas because Armin who was supposed to do it, was on full panic mode.

'...right now we lack the means to fill an eight-meter hole,' he rambled, 'We haven't even managed to dig up the rock meant to fill the hole! That means we can't block access, and that, this town must be abandoned! Its only a matter of time until Wall Rose gets breached too! Moreover they can kill us whenever they damn please!'

'Armin!' Eren snapped. 'Calm yourself! Things are different now! We can now kill Titans! Mankind can now kill them!' he reminded Armin of their harsh training that they survived just for this day, that and they're no longer weak and helpless like they used to be.

'S-sorry...'

'...you be counselor Eren. You do better job snapping crazies back normal.' Naruto commented as she filled up their gases much to Eren's grumbling. Somehow, Naruto could make a joke out of any situation.

'I-I'm not crazy, I'm just stating what's reality for years!' Armin spluttered defensively.

'I'm more scared of people than Titans.' Naruto told him kindly. 'Unlike dumb giants, Humans smart. Humans know what they doing. Humans know well what they do to others. They can knowingly be cruel to others while Titans no more than out-of-control giant pests who only eat and make mess. They do what animals naturally do. Here, fill up done! You no waste, OK?' she said, handing over their gas canisters to operate their gears.

'Let's go!' and they all ran off to get their orders.

'Listen up! Just like in training, all of you will be split into teams!' the officer spoke loudly with a clearly terrified look on his face. 'Under the Garrison's Command, you will form supply and information routes as you mop up Titans en route! The Garrison's Intercept Squad will form the Vanguard! The Cadets will function as the Military Guard under our Command! And the Garrison's Elite will form the Rear Guard! According to information we received, the Initial Response Team has been wiped out! They let the Titan break through into town! In other words, as things stand, the Armored Titan could show up any time and destroy the wall! The Vanguard is Intercepting Titans at this moment! We have only one mission: to protect Wall Rose until all Civilians have evacuated!'

'And as you all are aware by now, fleeing from duty awaits you the Death Penalty!' he added much to their horror. 'Keep that in mind as you offer your lives! Dismissed!'

xxx

'Hummm...so they titans. Butt-naked with funny looks on faces.' Naruto mused as she observed them fro a high vantage point. 'Oh well, they dumb. Time to kill.' and she lunged off with her gear...and combining her athletic and acrobatic skills with her great jumping ability and speed, she was assigned to the Military Guard and much to Mikasa's dismay, was at the Rear Guard.

'She's as crazy as you Eren.' said Mina with a shocked choke on her throat.

'She's never seen a Titan before and upon reading our books, she just thinks they're dumb animals who make a mess.' Armin deadpanned. 'She never knew fear of Titans...makes me wonder where she's from. It must be a nice world...the outside.' he said longingly.

'She still hasn't gotten back her memories you know. Pointless asking her about it.' Eren snorted as they followed Naruto...who, to their shock, was a natural-born killer. She was so fast with her gear and even using the Titans' slow, slugging movements as extra foot ground to work her way up to their necks! They were frozen stiff in stunned awestruck astonishment.

'Its certified. She's insane.' said Thomas with a shiver. 'She's got balls of steel!'

'We can't lag behind after seeing THAT!' Eren grinned excitedly. 'We could use those same balls on ourselves!' boosted by morale on Naruto's swift kills, they too, began attacking but Armin stuck close to Eren because he was lacking physically. With Naruto in their team, they were able to survive their first day in their duties...with Eren wanting to get closer to the action.

It was possible with Naruto killing the bigger titans herself so they could focus on the smaller ones, and eventually joined the Front Lines in keeping Titans out and saving the cowering Re-Supply Teams and Jean was pissed that because they chickened out, a lot of people died due to not being re-supplied. However, with this, she and Mikasa stood out among the rest due to being the only ones 'insane'.

xxx

After a harrowing day at work...because there are no more Titans in Trost, the Survey Corps and Garrison Veterans kept an eye on the hole in Trost and camped out while the Cadets are resting at Headquarters. Now, the Cadets are halved from casualties.

'Are? Weren't there more of us before?' Naruto scratched her head as they had dinner that night. 'What happened?'

'What happened is they became Titan Food.' Jean sighed. 'They froze up, panicked and hid more than fighting for their lives. They yeah, cannon fodder as Shadis puts it.' he said, guzzling down a mug of beer. 'Death Penalty my ass, the court never got to them because Titans killed them for the court for chickening out on us.'

'Don't drink too much Jean.' Reiner scolded. 'If there's an attack the next day and you're too drunk, you'll be food next.'

'Yeah yeah, shaddap.' Jean mumbled while biting off a chunk of bread before choking. Because they were in HQ where there are officers not willing to overlook a few things, Naruto could not steal/hunt food thus they all endured the same thing: Horsebread that made them all CRINGE due to its unpleasant flavor...and a bowl of watery just-as-bland vegetable soup. Its no different from _prison food_ at all!

'I miss camp days.' Sasha whimpered in tears. 'In camp, we could enjoy better food than this...' she lamented while shakily looking at her bread. 'Where did the deliciously soft white bread, cheese and meat we used to enjoy go...?' they all reminisced camp days. Because Naruto protested their treatment in regards to disproportionate compensations while saddled with big pressure, she began stealing food for all of them. They could make their own soft, white bread, cheese, and cook their own meat to their liking and enjoyed themselves. They ate as much as they liked. And most of the things she stole, are incredibly expensive. In other words, they all got too spoiled at camp!

'It can't be helped. There are kiss-asses around.' said Connie with a sigh as they cautiously glanced around. 'We need Naruto and we can't afford to get her caught. That, and if we are lucky enough to be under someone like our instructor anytime soon, food will be good again.' he said.

'Yeah, we just gotta be patient and endure.' Eren grinned. 'Things will look up soon as soon as we get a decent boss and we can get back our 'privileges'.'

'That depends on what job _Naruto_ chooses.' Annie pointed out wryly and they all looked at Naruto who found herself on the spotlight. 'If we happen to sign up for whatever job she chose, we'd be that lucky unless you signed up for the Police where you can happily have good food for the rest of your days.'

'So who'll go to the police?' Eren grunted. 'Sure its a cushy job but everyone hates em'. **I** hate em.' he scowled, remembering his refugee days. 'Back at our refugee years when Shiganshina fell...these bastards during food rations...had some nerve to loudly say why couldn't more of us die so there'd be less of their food to give us.' he scowled. 'Bastards. You remember that day don't you Mikasa, Armin?' he spat. Armin and Mikasa sported dark looks because they too, were there. The others at the table were silent at their expressions.

'They're...like that?' Jean visibly winced. He aimed to join the police for a comfortable life but to be universally disliked as much as Titans?

'Yeah, like that.' said Armin darkly. 'Everyone hated them. Our neighbors who were within earshot. Jean, Marco, that's the kind of people you want to join.' he said, glancing at his friends in question. 'They're just interested in protecting themselves and the nobles they suck up to in those uniforms while leaving us all to rot and doing only barely enough for the sake of maintaining appearances that they're doing their jobs to have something to show for it. We're better off in the Garrison or Survey Corps. At least the people will respect and like us because these groups are nothing like the police. We'll be surrounded by friendly faces at work. That's reality.'

'Ah...' both Jean and Marco deflated. Clearly put out.

'Well, we better suit up. Our day is not over till the guys at the hole says so.' said Reiner as they all stood up to be on standby for duty.

xxx

By the hole...around sundown...

'Oy oy...' Jean choked out as chaos ensued by the time they got there as Titans got in through the hole. Again. 'So our early dinner is our last meal now?'

'It won't be if we made sure we'll live tonight!' Eren growled. 'Let's go! Forget orders, its all the same anyway! Kill Titans!'

Indeed, its all the same as they all lunged for it.

It took a whole day until nightfall. Literally.

Some Titans still came in although without sunlight, they are slower and more sluggish, while some went comatose for an easy kill. And so...

'Man, what a pain!' The Cadets are made to camp with the Survey Corps at the hole, while the Garrison will work on the rock and use it to seal the hole shut.

'We fought for a whole frickin' day and where the fuck are the Police?'

'They can't do shit, why ask about them man?'

'Naruto! We got the OK~!' Sasha chimed excitedly as the others ran up to Naruto who was watching the moon by the campfire...and behind them was the Commander of the Survey Corps: Erwin Smith.

'Ok for steal?' Naruto asked her classmate who looked excited and positively DROOLING. 'I heard many things about you Uzumaki.' said Erwin good-naturedly. 'I heard that you stole food and hunted for your fellow trainees because you complained about the dismal support of the higher-ups correct?' he asked her.

'Yes.' said Naruto as she braced herself. Her classmates are pretty rash and might get her in trouble...

'While commendable, not everyone is as accepting, but we must do all we can to live the next day.' he said. 'We could use someone like you in the Survey Corps.' many ears perked up at this. 'How about it?'

'Humm, OK.' said Naruto, her decision quick. 'Other job no fun anyway.' she said casually. Erwin did a double-take.

'T-that's your reason for joining?!' he sputtered. As Commander, he's seen many people forcing themselves to join in hopes of making a difference, but even then they're still overcome with terror and end up getting eaten anyway. Those remaining on his team are cool-headed veterans whose ability to maintain their cool enabled them to live as long as they have up to present day. And this girl is...is saying that...she's in because the Garrison and the Police are no fun?!

'Hunting Titan no different from Hunting Deer and Boar in Forest. They just bigger, dumber and slower.' Naruto piped up. 'They call me insane but that how I feel.'

'I'm joining too!' said Eren, causing Mikasa to momentarily freeze before stepping up.

'I as well.' she said. Armin nodded quickly.

'Very well, I look forward to your joining.' said Erwin with a smile. 'But we still have to make that official onstage tomorrow night. Now then Uzumaki, start helping with the provisions, starting with bread.' he ordered as Naruto ran away to do as told. 'Now then you kids, I'd like to hear more about our new oriental friend...' he said as he faced Eren and the others. 'And we'll be talking while I have some of my people get us eggs.'

xxx

Taking advantage of the darkness, Naruto crept into Wall Rose's farms clad in a black cloak upon acquiring a wagon and a horse and stole as many sacks of flour as she could in the mills, ensuring she has no witnesses. As she did so, she also recalled another memory.

She was in a forest making a strange hand gesture...which she copied in real life...and uttered 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.' upon creating five clones, they made off with six sacks of flour. Then she made four more clones to steal four full milk containers for cheese. When everything was done, she walked up Wall Rose and loaded her booty onto the wagon and horse she prepared and drove away back to the Camp. Since its nighttime, its peaceful. No Titans.

'She's back!'

'Alright!' Erwin grinned. 'Any volunteers who know how to make bread and cheese for the camp? We can use any house here and their ovens! The owners won't mind as long as you clean up your messes!' he called out. 'Oh, and we have fifty people here, so that's about three bread per head here and be sure to make some for breakfast tomorrow! We'll handle the other foods!'

Everyone stared at him as if he grew a second head.

And so...

Inside a house, the trainees with the most bread-and-cheese making experience set to work.

'I think I'm gonna like that guy. He thinks like we do.' said Jean as the girls broke the eggs.

'Ahhh, just like the old days...' Sasha sighed blissfully in dream-mode.

'Yeah, back in old days again. I think we're white-bread veterans by now.' said Connie as they mixed together flour, water and eggs to make dough and they were...following Naruto's instructions back at camp from what she remembers. They were making Dorayaki on her instructions. Upon making the dough, they would flatten it with a rolling pin till it was 1 cm thick, then cut it into circles. Once the ones responsible for cheese are back, they would then place cheese onto a piece of bread, then use another bread and knead the edges close, sealing the cheese in and voila. Improvised Cheese Dorayaki.

They made enough for fifty people indeed, themselves included, having gotten so tired, and their arms weary from bread-making. The camp also made vegetable stew of leafy green and root crops as meat is hard to come by, only the wealthy could eat it and the highest ranking of the military. At least the vegetables' mixed flavors through boiling made the soup sweet but still mixed with spices to make it a bit spicy and savory for some luxury points.

'I've never seen bread like this before.' Erwin mused as the cheese is sealed inside the bread. 'You made this everyday at camp?'

'Hai.' said Naruto, using 'hai' for yes. 'I remember a bread like that but it wasn't cheese used for filling...it was a purple-something but sweet but I can't remember what it is...and we don't have such in these walls so I don't know.' she shrugged. 'So for filling, we used cheese instead but any filling will do, really.' she explained. 'I believe this style of bread was called Dorayaki by a store I can't remember either.'

'Well, everything will come back in time.' Erwin patted her head. 'As long as we can make provision access easier for everyone. Go get some rest you kids! Thanks for the hard work! Rest all you can because tomorrow will be another rough day until we can seal the walls!'

Everyone slept soundly in camp...but of course, for safety's sake, they have to wake up at the crack of dawn because as soon as the sun rises...all hell breaks loose. Literally.

Everyone had a breakfast of bread and water...and braced themselves...

Here we go again!


	3. Another Oriental

Another Oriental

'...here we go again.' Naruto grinned as they could see Titans coming to the city from the hole.

'Yeah, here we go again.' Armin whimpered. 'There's no stop to them, just how the hell do they reproduce anyway?!'

'Dunno. Infection?' Naruto suggested.

'Its not a disease.' Connie deadpanned. 'If it was, we'd all be Titans by now.'

'Manufactured by human experimentation?' Naruto laughed jokingly while certain individuals glanced at her.

'If such a thing was possible, don't you think the authorities would have found and killed them years ago for all the things they've done?' Eren snarked.

'Do we even have science savvy people to begin with?' Jean snorted. 'With Titans plaguing us everyday, its hard for humans to make progress in making lives easier.'

'Everyone!' Erwin barked. 'Our enemies are coming from one spot only!' he cried. 'Everyone outside! Cadets protect the hole inside the walls! Top 10 Graduates your task is above the walls and attack outside! Survey Corps, outside!'

'They'll do it outside?!' Armin paled at his words. 'They're insane!' he squeaked as they all marched to their place. On top of the walls while watching over the hole.

'We're just as insane for joining insane people Armin.' said Mikasa flatly. 'Their misses will be our kills.' and so, they waited for enemies the Survey Corps might miss. But they're doing a damn good job for veterans, even ballsy enough to use Titans themselves to use their Piston Hooks on to grab onto, climb their way up and kill. There are some fast Titans that definitely needed killing as Aberrants showed up...which was WORSE than a typical Titan of any class.

'Aberrants!' Jean gasped in alarm.

'Asobo~(Let's play)!' Naruto giggled childishly as she jumped down. 'Yeee-haw!'

'Y-you idiot!' Bertholdt gasped out as her preemptive strike caused confusion among the Aberrants...into attacking the one she was on...and she was tricking them into eating each other by simply jumping off at precise timings!

'She has the Aberrants under control with her insanity, we better take care of the others!' Eren cried as they too, jumped down to take care of the Titans to help Naruto out who was making a fool out of the Aberrants who are more dangerous than typical Titans. They had to at least, do something. They began fighting off the Titans as well.

'You know, if amnesia can make someone like Naruto crazy, I think we better take care of our heads.' Ymir said wryly. 'She's a certified nutcase.'

'But she's OUR nutcase.' Reiner snorted. 'I wonder what the Veterans will do if they see her antics.'

'Pop a few blood vessels in apoplectic shock.' Armin suggested with a grimace. 'I can see that now.'

'The Survey Corps are crazy but she just redefined crazy in our dictionaries.' Jean remarked sarcastically. 'Good thing too because we need to re-define sanity too!'

'The Aberrants are all dead!' Eren cried as Naruto sat, relaxing on a pile of disappearing corpses, yawning boredly. 'That girl...why can't we have balls of steel like hers too? Some people are just born lucky!' he exclaimed. Mikasa thought they're pretty normal in NOT wanting to go anywhere near danger, yet her childhood friend and 'brother' saw the world differently ever since That Day and just as insane as her fellow oriental. Only, she has what he lacked. Skill. Ability. Agility and a cool head. Passion can only get you so far.

'Eren, girls don't have b-balls as you put it.' said Krista, blushing from usage of the vulgar word.

'Er, mentality of one then, its just a figure of speech.' Eren grinned. 'But we could really use some to look cool out there while putting them out for good!' he grunted as he slashed at the neck after Armin and Krista supported him in his kill. Soon, it was over. They managed to keep Titans from the city. No more came so far.

Thing is, everyone was tired. They hoped that nothing comes anytime soon.

xxx

Lunch Break...

The Cadets ate as fast as they could, so they could re-supply their canisters with gas and then relax under the trees, lying on the ground to rest.

'Ahhh...we deserve this.' Connie sighed in bliss.

'More rest, less talk.' said Mikasa, her eyes closed in relaxation. 'No telling when they'll be like fungi and sprout.'

'U-um guys?' Bertholdt whimpered as they all looked to see...a hilarious situation with him unfortunately in it. He was stark red because...their insane friend is fast asleep, snuggling onto him like he was a teddy bear. Her right arm and leg over him. 'H-help...'

'Can't...eat...any...more...' Naruto mumbled in her sleep. 'I...win...nya...'

Everyone else choked and snickered in Bertholdt's expense.

'H-help! Don't laugh at meee...' he wailed miserably. _Annie_ was laughing at him! Noooo! If it was Annie in Naruto's shoes, he would have died a happy man...

"Poor you man, poor you." Reiner felt sorry for his best friend while laughing at the same time. He was in the worst situation possible before the girl he really likes. The funnier part was, the girl responsible is fast asleep, unaware of what was on. Somehow, the beefy guy wished these times would last forever with his friends.

'...stupid...Neji...' Naruto mumbled as they listened as she turned in her sleep. 'No...such thing...as fate...you control...your life...the way..want...live...jackass...'

'...she's talking in her sleep...' Eren swallowed, bug-eyed in observation while trying hard not to laugh.

'Maybe she remembered something...but she'll probably forget it when she wakes. Isn't that what usually happens to amnesiacs?' Jean wondered aloud.

'What she said is pretty interesting.' said Mikasa. 'Whoever she referred to, lacked control in life so she said live life the way you want to live it.' she told them.

'Well, we can only enjoy life if there's no Titans around...we could be normal teenagers doing fun stuff.' Eren sighed. 'I wonder how do normal kids act? Normal boys? Normal girls?'

'Beats us.' said Sasha. 'Normal went out the window years ago. I guess we ask civilians if we finally have a break!'

'Live life the way we want and enjoy life huh? Must be nice if it was that easy.' Krista sighed wistfully. 'What would we want to do? Would it be in our era by the time everything's peaceful?'

'Cadets! Attention!' everyone meeped but Naruto was still fast asleep. 'Cadet! Wake up!' he went to give her a forceful awakening by a forceful shake, only to find himself kicked hard in the gut by reflex, and sent him flying by four meters. 'Gah!' and he rolled backwards as soon as he hit the dirt.

The cadets looked back at Naruto who was still fast asleep with comically horrified wide eyes.

'Its not safe to sleep near her! Hiiie!' Sasha squeaked as they quickly and comically moved away from the blonde in a blink in fear.

'What a kick! She kicks like a horse and that's just one damn leg!' Reiner whistled, impressed AND spooked.

'S-sir, are you OK?' Krista choked out as she helped up the superior. 'She's um dangerous when asleep so what are our orders?' she asked nervously that she was almost quickly stammering at the officer who was coughing in fear of his wrath while rubbing his stomach. He's gonna feel that till next morning. Dangerous WHEN asleep? NOW they tell him!

'C-Commander Erwin wants...everybody...OW...! What the hell are they feeding you Cadets these days?'

Everyone suppressed their smiles.

xxx

'Everyone,' said Commander Erwin, looking at the top members of the 104th Trainee Squad. 'We have news for you today.' he said as he glanced at the trees. 'Hange! Bring him in!' Hange, a tall, androgynous-looking woman with goggle-like glasses brought in...another Oriental, dressed in animal hide to their shock. He has long black hair and eyes, skin as pale as snow and his eyes looked like he saw the darkness. 'We found another oriental living underground when one of the titans crushed his er...dwelling and he wasn't too happy about that with injuries to match...thing is, we couldn't understand him either so we did what Shadis did: bring him to the nearest oriental who could understand him.'

'Naruto, its your turn to babysit him.' Mikasa told Naruto. 'You know about our world and language by now, you'll be fine.' she did not want to babysit another thank you...she'd rather care for Eren and Armin and focus on them this time.

'OK!' she then skipped towards the new oriental, cheerfully asking him about his name and the whole package that Mikasa translated to everyone.

The young man was Sasuke Uchiha. He lived in the forests all his life since coming here. The walls are shut close and he didn't understand the language he doubted the military would let him in...so he lived 'like a caveman' and was in peace after learning how the giants worked on his own but lacked the ability to kill the seemingly immortal monsters he really had to run and hide during the day and only come out at night, until his underground tunnel dwelling was smashed and he nearly became a pancake himself. He wasn't too happy about that.

Naruto told him that he can stay in Wall Rose with everyone and she explained how she learned life works here since waking up amnesiac two and half years ago...but despite all exercises doctors told her, she really could not remember things about herself and Mikasa named her since she couldn't remember hers and taught her their language. That, and he's now her responsibility according to her superiors until he can manage on his own and decide how to live his life. Join the military's divisions or life as a normal civilian. 'Take his pick' she said. But if he wanted to join, he needed three years of training due to 'extremely high risks' wherein one screw up 'you be Titan chow'...

'COMMANDER!' someone yelled. 'THEY'RE BACK!'

'OK, you go hide now Sasuke!' Naruto grinned. 'You can't be out here! Titans are back!'

'You're going to seriously fight those things?' Sasuke frowned. She could fight them off but he couldn't? This doesn't suit well with him at all.

'Yep! I trained for two and a half years since I was taken to camp by the time training was into six months already so I had to do double the effort if I wanted in. Well, go to safety!' and she ran off with her peers.

xxx

Sasuke took in all he just learned.

Naruto came to this world same time he did, but suffered total amnesia from her blood loss and injuries...he caused those by the way...which was why she was not hostile with him or yelling at him about their situation and all he's done, and these people clearly knew NOTHING about ninjas by how they carried themselves and how they fought. They compensated with those hooks and ropes that enabled them to move in third dimension, and those swords of theirs are their only weapons they used as they have no ninjutsu. That, and they're all aiming in one spot...the nape where the spinal cord is close to the surface. NOW he learned how to kill the damn things that instilled Titan Fear in him for the two-and-half years he's been here. He wound up in the forests, all alone, transported here by the combined effects of their special chakras together. He was all alone for years and it was then he realized...what the important things are...only when they're long gone.

Naruto was his only real friend in the village and truly understood him as she revealed in their fateful battle because she lived a worser life, yet he forsook her in favor of the power he would gain upon killing her. He also learned that he loved her. But she was gone...until these people took him in, and he saw her again for the first time in two and a half years, no longer the skinny shortie she was but a young woman. Still short and petite though, just like the other blonde girl. And still wore her hair in high side-ponytails. While he lived alone in a harsh life in the wilderness all alone with nothing but food and animal skins, she was with people who took care of her and she was happy.

Karma?

Karma because he took everything he had for granted because of his desire for revenge? Karma that she lost her memories so she no longer knew him thus wasn't 'her friend' anymore, leaving him truly all alone in this giant-infested place?

For now, he used a genjutsu on himself so he could go up the walls without being seen, and see the action outside.

There, he can see once more how they fought. Its clearer from up high. At the ground watching them fight is damn confusing and making him dizzy.

While the others fought with skill while scared for their lives at the same time, he could clearly see who the Veterans are from beginners...and Naruto who just recently graduated, is clearly having fun while her fellow graduates are fighting for their lives in full adrenaline mode. One screw up ends everything indeed. He wondered if he too, could do it. Fight these Titans. Whats it like out there. Soon, there's only ten dead. Titan food.

Naruto enjoyed...killing Titans as if she was a child in a playground.

Of course she's not afraid of Titans. The toad she summoned while fighting Gaara's monster is way bigger than any of them.

xxx

The camp...

'Aren't the Garrison done yet with the stupid rock?' Jean complained.

'Well, we be hearing 'hurray' if they done. We just anxious as you for vacation so zip it.' Naruto grumbled. 'Ahhh...they so annoying! I can't even hunt meat!' she whined unhappily.

'Then just steal a few cows or something for us.' Reiner deadpanned. The blonde oriental flushed.

'It still daytime! I only steal at night!'

'...' Reiner gave her a deadpan stare when Sasuke was looking at Mikasa pointedly which they noticed.

'Ah, Sasuke wants to talk to me...wait a bit.' she went to her fellow oriental who stayed a ways from them. He no longer wore his animal hide clothes and he obviously stole some clothing from some random house, now wearing a white shirt, gray trousers and boots that fit him, and he cut his hair short.

xxx

'So its about our fellow oriental?' Mikasa sighed. 'Why not just ask her yourself?'

'...its embarrassing.' Sasuke sighed to Mikasa's amusement.

'So its that eh...when Naruto was taken to our camp...we thought she was just like me...an oriental who escaped slave traders in sheer desperation.' said Mikasa softly. 'In these parts, orientals are a...unique beauty.' she said. 'Our kind is very rare. They like them young, easier to train as slaves for the nobles in Wall Sina.' she said darkly as Sasuke's anger rose. 'I lost my family that way. We thought she shared the same fate I did as a child, but unlike me who was rescued, she must have given everything she got to escape and forgot her horrible ordeal. Eren, my adoptive brother was happy that I'm no longer the only oriental left when she was found. He told me to give her an oriental-nese name. I named her Naruto for the chaos her existence caused, and we who thought we're the last humans left on earth, had hope that there's more humans out there somewhere. That we're not alone.' she said with a soft smile. 'Then for her surname, I was inspired by the swirl on her metal headband. I named her Naruto Uzumaki.'

Sasuke thought it was ironic that the name she gave Naruto was ironically, her real name.

'We couldn't guess her age since she's smaller than Krista and so skinny...but Shadis-sensei let her join us as an exception. The law of our place is you don't work, you don't eat. So she joined our training...and because of language issues, she graduated fifth in our batch. Horrible academics, but just as good as me in physical and combat training, and mastery of our 3DMG. But...'

'But?'

'She's a bit...out of it and sees things we're horrified of as 'fun'.' Mikasa sighed. 'Unlike us who lived in fear of Titans all our lives. She held no such fear. Its why she's so strong. She just thinks of them as 'dumb animals' and 'out-of-control pests' that needed 'management issues'. She has no fear of them but she fears humans more. Titans to her are just animals while humans have intelligence, therefore can be knowingly cruel and its what makes them dangerous. Its how she sees the world since waking up. It must be a lingering fear that she retained despite memory loss.' she said softly. 'She also has a sense of unusual honor and care for her comrades. During her time in camp with us, she noted why our food is...well, not even worthy for a beggar to eat.' she chuckled. 'We told her that funding military programs is always so cheap. She knew that we're soldiers to be yet for our development to be totally stunted with food alone, she began hunting meat for us, and stealing off farms.'

'At first, Shadis-sensei was against it, but she argued her case strongly and convincingly...that we all agreed. We were there to fight for humanity yet the people we fight to protect care so little for us. A lot of people protested...and so, sensei had to explain why it was always that way and we all weren't too happy with the nobility since...and he let Naruto steal and hunt for us as long as she's not caught because he could not protect her. She could steal so much. Sacks of flour, eggs, cheese, oil, condiments, vegetables, milk, cows, sheep and goats off farms and even hunts in the forests. We all worked together to hide all this from the School Board. Thanks to her, we enjoyed good, delicious food like nobles could...and she taught us how to make a bread she remembers called Dorayaki. But since this place didn't have the purple filling she could not remember, we used cheese instead.' she chuckled.

'We all grew up healthy and properly developed in training thanks to her. Morale got boosted because of all the food we could eat and we all thanked her for caring for us while we hid our garbage well because if meat bones was found among our rubbish, we'll get in trouble. A luxurious life at camp cannot be possible if not for her. But we still wonder to this day how she does it without getting caught.' she snorted. 'She's a legend. For the sake of students, we all kept quiet. She even stole barley for the senseis to make beer for themselves, as well as coffee and tea. We enjoyed it all. Because once we graduated...those things are now just a dream. A dream we thank her for giving us.' she continued. 'Most of us are orphaned by the Titans. Food, delicious food nobles and royalty take for granted is sheer luxury to us and she brought it to us. In return, we helped her with her new life and she's friends with everybody as a result. She adjusted well to our lifestyle while finding her place in this walled world. She wonders who she used to be before I 'created her' as she puts it.'

'She confided in me that she feels hollow and empty because she had literally nothing...but she decided that as long as we're here, she can't mope forever and focus on the positives she sees because focusing on the negatives will just depress her more. She's strong.'


	4. Uchiha Sasuke

Uchiha Sasuke

Sasuke watched Naruto as she brought in food that night at Trost.

She insisted on 'thieving alone' because its easier if she was doing it alone. Two or more would get them caught. The Survey Corps who get the short end of the stick out of the Military Divisions were more than happy to see a lot of food but they had to divide it evenly to hide it from the other two divisions; the Garrison and the Military Police.

Naruto would have food memories of course.

She was friends with her fellow slackers and Choji knows more about food than anyone does. It was how the blonde now helps these people to make life easier for them. She obtains and uses what little she remembers for her new family. As bright and cheery as ever. He could not help but smile as he watches.

He had truly been a fool.

But right now, all he has in this world, is her.

After those two and a half years of HELL, he learned how to appreciate what he has when back in Konoha, he took everything for granted. And with him and Naruto in a Titan-infested world, he didn't need to worry about Itachi anymore. Rather, he should be worried about DO THEY HAVE A FUTURE **HERE**?! With his experiences, he was just like everyone else here; he has the Fear of Titans, she doesn't. And she likes her job very much to boot. She died in his hands and was 'reborn' here. She was no longer the dobe he knew...and he would have to re-adjust to this one.

In their old life...she revealed that the Naruto he knew was a mask. A mask to protect herself from the hell that was Konoha due to what she is, something she only found out through Mizuki's betrayal. Why her life was the way it was. She nearly shattered if not for Iruka to keep her sane and give her hope that not all adults hated her and reminded her that she still had people who cared for her even if they didn't go past ten fingers in her hands.

In her new life, she was appreciated, she has loads of friends, is happy and its for real. Its not a mask this time.

But what would he do...if she gets her memories back?

He was somewhat nervous of that.

Not to mention HE is HER responsibility.

And it starts once this hole is fixed.

He glanced at the hole that everyone is guarding with vigil.

xxx

'Hey hey, Sasuke is really looking at you!' Krista giggled as she helped Naruto cut up chunks of beef for use in steaks. With her was the ever-present Ymir.

'Me? Not you? All boys in camp look at you so what you're telling me is pretty weird.' Naruto pointed out.

'Its you not me.' Krista insisted with a cheery smile with an excited squeal. 'Maybe he wants something?'

'He can wait, we have fifty bellies to fill, ours included!' Naruto snorted. 'Ah, are we really the only cooks here? Five people? You're kidding, right?' she whined.

'Now now, the boys are getting us firewood and some are making bread~!'

'Her priorities are sorted Krista.' Ymir chuckled. The other blonde doesn't understand romance and infatuation at all. 'She still has yet to grow up.' Naruto nearly chopped off some fingers.

'Whaddya mean not yet to grow up?! Sure I'm short as Krista-('Hey?!' Krista choked in protest)-but all that training made me a shapely woman and I have boobs!' since she said that so loudly that a lot of people balked. 'I'm grown up aren't I?!'

'The way you are now you got a looong way to go.' said Ymir blandly. 'There's more to growing up other than growing older and getting boobs, kid.'

'Hey!' the blonde whined. 'Krista! Ymir is being mean to meeee!' Naruto wailed childishly while glomping her fellow blonde. 'I want my teddy!'

'I-I'm not a teddy bear!' Krista cried, flushed in embarrassment as Naruto was literally snuggling her face in her breasts and the way she was doing it made her very ticklish. 'Hyaaaahhhnnn...n-not there! Aaaahhhh!'

Ymir noted that many a boy suffered nosebleeding and some even fainted. So they're into THAT sort of thing?

She was somehow making notes. For her own benefit that is.

xxx

And so...

Dinner tonight in a huge pot, is beef stew in tomato-based sauce containing a lot of carrots, potatoes and taro. In another pot is vegetable soup full of leafy greens and other root crops...and the boys came with a wagon of bread.

'Here's yours.' Naruto gave Sasuke some food. A bowl of beef stew with a lot of gravy, potatoes and beef and three pieces of bread and she had the same thing.

'Everyone hardly touched the vegetable soup though.' Sasuke noted.

'Ah...first-come first-serve...after the cooks and higher-ups got some. Meat is an incredibly rare luxury for commoners like us. Only those with money to shell out can afford them, like people with big-paying jobs, the nobility and royalty. Hideously expensive too because ever since the Colossal Titan showed up, allowing Titans to invade Wall Maria, keeping livestock got harder when the people of Wall Maria fled into Wall Rose, cramping up space and farmland space. And no commoner or farmer is allowed inside Wall Sina where the Royalty and Nobility live, as well as the jerks of the populace, the Military Police.' she explained.

'So you're stealing cows off Wall Rose?' Sasuke smirked and his blonde ex-friend snorted.

'I only steal off Noblemen's Ranches, I never steal off a commoner's farms.' Naruto smirked. 'You can say I'm pretty vindictive for my friends' sakes.' she said as she looked at her peers who ate together. She wasn't with them because she's on a babysitting job. 'We all worked hard to get to where we are now because there's nobody to welcome us home anymore. We're on our own. Because we're orphans. Nobody cared for my friends when Wall Maria fell. Not even their relatives took them in leaving them to fend for themselves so their only option was the Military. That's the kind of place this is.' she said softly. 'I don't know anything about myself...about where I'm from. Everyone thinks I fought hard to get away from slavery and I forgot everything...makes me wonder what kind of place I came from...I hope its a good place. One day I could take everyone there if only I can remember where the heck I came from.'

"You wouldn't want that place." Sasuke thought ruefully. At their battle at that valley...everything everyone knew about her was a lie and she made that clear. That she HATED Konoha. She just can't afford to voice that out loud as that's practically a death sentence for her. She felt she was a mouse in a cage full of wild animals out to get her. Its what she often feels in Konoha. And she knew for a fact that Kakashi never taught them well during 'team time' yet he focuses on Sasuke's training, leaving her and Sakura in the dust. Sakura because she's not taking being a ninja seriously and Naruto was because she's 'a monster' who should just die despite the 'friendly excuses' he gives her in public. Her being a dobe wasn't even her fault. If it wasn't for Tsunade and Jiraiya giving her things she could do herself, she might have died in their next few missions after the Chuunin Exams. Said exams she barely survived by the way.

And seeing her fight Titans proved true. She was never an idiot. She was forced to be an idiot. A weak idiot. The village intentionally made her that way in hopes she'd die. She also began doubting the Sandaime because no matter how much she cried to him, nothing changed. Only when Tsunade became the Godaime did her life change better. Only just a little though. Because of the Council. The most Tsunade could do was 'indirectly' teach her and have her show off to spite Kakashi. Then another bomb she dropped on him was whether she succeeds or fails the mission in bringing him back, **she will lose either way**. He was just the catalystic excuse and politics will corner Tsunade, while the council will happily heave an unfair punishment on her. That was her reality. That's why she no longer cares anymore. If she is to die, she will die on her own terms. Not by his nor anyone's. She will not let them have the satisfaction.

So she used up that weird chakra of hers that clashed with his, hoping for an explosion that will kill them both.

She decided to die on her own terms...and decided to take him with her just so Orochimaru would never have his body.

Then bam.

This weird...world.

His Cursed Seal is gone.

Her whisker marks that were a tell-tale sign of what she is was also gone. He can assume that her seal that was locking in Kyuubi is also gone, as she's happily wearing a tube top instead of a shirt like everyone else does.

He realized for two and a half years that everything he knew about her and their village was wrong. Now that Naruto died and was reborn, living happily despite being in poverty because she was with fellow orphans and has friends she would fight for. She's no longer alone.

But HE is alone and SHE is all he has now.

He realized too late that he loved her after all.

He will make it count.

But what if...she suddenly regains her memories back...?

Would she do a 180 and hate him even though she has all rights to?

It took a week more until finally, the Garrison was able to dig up the rock. Pushing it was the problem this time without trampling houses along the way, that is. They decided that the homes are a 'necessary casualty' as long as the hole was plugged. There were even suggestions of using concrete on both inside and outside after plugging the rock in just to secure their big rock seal.

Sasuke noted that while it was an effort for hundreds of men and wooden machines, Naruto clearly used her chakra, augmenting her strength and with precise timing, was able to help lodge the rock in to keep Titans out of Trost. She somehow remembers more than just food and disguised her strength through 'people power' since hundreds ARE pushing the rock in, while only the most veteran of the Survey Corps went out fighting. So not a single cadet was out as every manpower counts and the Veteran Survey Corps who went out without horses fought for something. They were able to get back in with their hooks.

Everyone was happy with this victory. If Trost is safe, Wall Rose is safe. Then they can focus on reclaiming Wall Maria.

Survey Corps HQ...the surviving members and Cadets were partying.

On the roof...

Naruto stood on the roof with her hair down, dressed in her civvies. A sleeveless light brown button-up short, figure-hugging dress that showed how toned her arms are, and wore lace-up boots. Her legs are also just as toned but not too muscular as Sasuke observed. A proper kunoichi's body. And now that she didn't wear gloves, her hands are still as small as ever with slender fingers and manicured, trimmed fingernails. Well, she now takes care of herself, grooming herself seriously unlike before when she didn't give a damn about her looks. Well, she has no real reason to anyway...and his ex-friend turned out to be very pretty when grown up and properly taken care of.

'So now you're on a break.' Sasuke noted as they were on the roof together.

'Yeah and soon, our class will officially disband as we'll be taking military jobs we're interested in.' Naruto chimed. 'I already know what I want!'

'So, the Survey Corps?'

'Yeah! Its a really fun job!' and she could say that with a bright smile on her face! 'And its a worthwhile one even if the pay sucks. But if only you can do it you gotta do it otherwise there will be no more humans in this world. And if a person who can fight refuses to fight...who will? Where will we go if the remaining two walls fell? Where and how can we live if that happens? Stuff like that.' Sasuke took a heavy breath and sighed.

'You crazy girl...' he said wearily. 'I don't know what I'd do. Everything is unappealing either way considering who runs this and that here.'

'Everything is so you have to choose what you feel is best for yourself. Krista taught me that.' Naruto told him. 'Well, I better go and see when the ceremony's gonna start.'

xxx

Two hours later, the cadets had to suit up to go to the stage.

'I am Erwin Smith, the Commander of the Survey Corps.' he said. 'Today you will be choosing a Military Branch. To be put bluntly, I'm here to persuade you to join the Survey Corps. During the Titan attack, you learned how terrifying they can be. And how limited your own power is. However our goal still remains: to retake Wall Maria. We spent four years laying a route for a large army to reclaim our lost land. In those four years, more than sixty percent of the Survey Corps lost their lives. An insane amount. Any trainees who join will participate in our excursion in a month. We expect thirty percent won't return.'

"Oy oy, isn't this a recruitment process?" Naruto frowned. "Why is he scaring everyone away and lowering down morale?" 'A-Armin...any idea what he's doing exactly? He's scaring everyone off.' she whispered.

'I don't get what he's thinking either. What's he playing at?' Armin choked out as the blondes looked at the Commander.

'Dunno but...he looks like a guy who's ready to die anytime.' Naruto told him. 'He gives that kind of feeling.'

'So you're saying that those who aren't ready to die for a cause leave now huh?' Jean muttered. 'Only those with that kind of mentality will stay.' and they all looked at Eren who was staring hard at the Commander. Mikasa...is clearly in sheer discomfort.

'In four years, most of you will be dead.' Erwin continued. 'However, those who survive will become superior soldiers with a high survival rate.' then his tone went darker. 'Knowing these discouraging facts, any who are still willing to risk their lives, remain here. Ask yourself: _are you willing to offer your beating heart to humanity_?' he asked grimly in emphasis. 'That is all. Any who wishes to join another branch, dismissed.'

Mass exodus ensued.

'W-wha...where is everybody going?!' Eren sputtered. He was stunned at how many are leaving!

'They don't wanna die obviously but even if they made a different choice, they'll still die either way. They just prolonged their misery, that's all.' Naruto said in a cold, callously uncaring tone that sent chills down their spines. 'It makes no difference no matter what branch you chose in the end. The Survey Corps is the 3rd Class Ticket to death, Garrison is 2nd Class, and the Military Police have a quick, luxury liner to death, being the weakest of the military.'

'You didn't have to put it that way...' Eren sputtered out angrily as he recalled memories of his neighbors and his mother dying. Its because they were weak that they came here to be strong...

'Hey, at least we live longer than anyone else.' Naruto shrugged. 'Because we're just _that_ bad.'

The only ones who remained, were the top ten trainees, Armin, Krista, and Ymir.

Jean howled in despair.

'Can you die if you're ordered to?' Erwin asked them grimly.

'I don't want to die!' Jean yelled in protest.

After a grim expression, Erwin smiled. 'I like your faces.' he said. 'Then! I welcome you all to the Survey Corps! This is a true salute as you offer your hearts!' he placed his right fist over his heart with his left fist on his back, which everybody copied.

'T-this is...' Eren choked out in horror and disbelief. Only he and his friends stayed! They could have had more chances to win if more people stayed!

'This is terrible...the Survey Corps...' Jean choked out, his face practically having death warmed over him.

'I-I'm scared...I wanna go home...' Sasha whimpered in tears.

'You know what, I don't care anymore.' Connie sighed in utter resignation. Bertholdt and Reiner looked utterly pained. Krista was sniffling in tears.

'...if you left, you wouldn't be crying right now...' Ymir gently chided the blonde who was shaking in her boots.

'You are brave soldiers...you have my heartfelt respect.' Erwin finished.

By the end of the ceremony, they noticed that Annie was gone, as they were told to return to HQ to pack what they own as the next day, they would be leaving for the old Survey Corps' HQ in Wall rose, an old base not used for quite some time now. But being orphans, they really did not own much...the clothes they owned was from their 'allowances' in camp. The problem was Sasuke who was under Naruto's watch: he only had the clothes he stole from some house in Trost. So Naruto took him shopping...

'But she doesn't have money...' Eren pointed out.

'She'll steal from some poor schmuck out there, that's where her money is.' Reiner chuckled. 'Don't worry about it too much.'

'Oh, kids, when she gets back, tell her to get us food and medical supplies and put everything in the storage room. The commander, Levi, Oluo and Petra will be waiting for her there.' Hange called out to them. 'We'll handle the eggs and the other stuff for cooking!'

'Yes!'


	5. Living Conditions

Living Conditions

Late at night...

Naruto had to make several round trips.

She brought two crates' worth of medical supplies for injuries and sicknesses, and stole a lot of money off rich people's homes(due to having literally zero respect for them) much to the veterans' disbelief. She practically made them loaded as she has a sack's worth of fortune and she also stole a lot of writing supplies as well as school books because she has an oriental to educate. However, she cannot raid cities for food as their supplies are inventory recorded. It was why she raids farms in the countryside and hunts in forests. So she was ordered to hunt for meat and the veterans will pull all-nighters in smoking meat for food with Levi as her supervisor and bodyguard in this important job.

And so...out at Wall Maria...the forests, after securing a hidden wagon in Wall Rose...

'So, where do you usually hunt?' Levi asked her as they got off the wall on foot. No horses as they required a commander to command the gate to open, and they got out of the wall illegally.

'Well, most animals are nocturnal to avoid predators but there's something I want to try out this time.' said Naruto. 'Its why we're here instead of my usual haunts.' she reasoned. 'If the information that Titans don't attack animals is true, then it must mean that farm animals are still alive and roaming on their own probably after busting their way out of barns when the people ran away.' she said. 'I'm curious about it for a long time now. And without people to butcher them, there's probably lots of them by now if my hopes are answered.'

'Its highly unlikely but we really have to make certain if we DO have free beef out here that no one knows about.' Levi muttered as they headed for the farms...to see them there indeed, unharmed, even if the barns and houses are smashed beyond repair by Titans. There's even horses!

Needless to say, they exchanged looks in disbelief.

'Er, Levi...can you keep a secret if only for our sakes?' Naruto asked him nervously while fidgeting. The older teenager narrowed his eyes at this. 'Its hard to explain but my memories are coming back but it involves unexplainable things...things even I don't understand which is why I can't teach it. I do it by instinct.' Levi watched as she made a weird hand gesture...and several dozens of copies of her appeared to his utter disbelief. 'Alright everybody! One adult male sheep and bull per girl and get butchering!' she ordered. 'Ladies, shear off the wool before killing it, wool can be sold you know! And take care of the skin! That's valuable leather!'

'Yes ma'am!'

Levi's expression, was priceless. Naruto looked at him and waved her hand in front of his face.

'...did I break my commanding officer? Yep, I broke him.' Naruto sighed.

Levi heard that anyway, he was just too stunned to talk.

Sometime later...

'So its an ability of yours?' Levi asked her as her 'servants' did all the manual labor for them.

'Hai...I can even turn my copies into my own Suicide Bombers without casualties on our side. Just that, I can't do that in the city with so many people seeing...I'm afraid of what they'd do to me for my powers.' she said. 'Its an instinctive ability of mine. I can't teach it even if I want to. Everyone would want a power they can't have and they'll be mad at me for not sharing when I really can't. So I keep quiet. Its why I insist on stealing alone.' Levi accepted it as truth due to the sad, look of grief on her face and she was genuinely sorry about it.

'Very well. But we have to tell Erwin and Hange about this.' he told her. 'Your clones can be disguised as spies, can be manual labor and suicide bombers...practically an all-purpose ability and a useful one at that. How many can you make on a good day?'

'About 50 if I'm at full power. But I can limit numbers to avoid attention and for giving my copies more power to last longer or make stronger bombs.' Naruto piped up.

'Alright. So is your clones only your ability?'

'Well...healing too but I have little skill in it.' she said. 'I remembered how to heal during our last night in Trost. I'll train it when we get to our new base. Its only for injuries though, not sicknesses...and walking up vertically and upside down like a lizard as well as water. I also use the same power source to augment my jumping and physical ability so it really saves me gas in my gear. I just pull off good convincing acts so nobody's the wiser.'

'That's it?'

'Still trying to remember...my abilities might help tell me as to who and what am I.' said Naruto with a rue smile. 'Am I even human? Humans don't have powers right? So what am I?' she wondered gloomily. 'Humans can't do stuff I could.'

'You're wrong.' Levi told her wryly as he looked at the moon. 'There are special humans out there too. By a glance, you'd know who. They too, are hiding themselves from the cesspit called the Government. Because attention on them...will be an incredibly bad thing.'

Soon, they obtained about 20 sheep bodies, 20 pig bodies, 20 chicken bodies and 20 bull bodies with the heads, skin, entrails and feet removed as well as washed off of blood. The meat and skins are taken, as well as bags of wool. They carried everything using 'servants' and upon going back to their hidden wagons, and went back to the Survey Corps HQ Storage Rooms for everyone else to get working on meat preservation and ponder about what to do with the wool and animal hide. Nobody among them knows how to freaking sew...options were: sell it. But how without getting questioned on which farm they got it from?

Answer: they LEARN how. Naruto was sent to obtain information in Tanneries and steal what they need to make leather and how to make string out of wool by Levi. Information in how to make cloth, too...and steal dying materials much to many disbeliefs as the blonde simply went out again on his orders.

It took Naruto by the crack of dawn to get everything they need done. Information, equipment, supplies, milk containers and sacks of flour, sugar, coffee and tea...the last one to _Levi's delight_. He loves tea but can only afford it rarely. His expression was wide-eyed and of utter interest in the sack of tea she brought in, and the other veterans HAD to restrain even a smile and miserably failing.

By morning, after eating breakfast, There was no sleep for her and the veterans as they used Coffee to STAY up. Not until they arrive in the old Survey Corps' HQ in Wall Rose which was to be their new HQ from now on as their current base will now become the Garrison's stationed in Trost.

**'Oy Naruto you OK? You look like you never slept!'** Sasuke grunted as she looked dead on her feet and on the verge of collapsing while riding with her on her horse.

**'Oh that, I had to make several trips for supplies, that's all.'** she yawned sleepily. **'Don't worry about me. I had nights like that once a month and then trained the next day after that back at camp, this is nothing new.'**

**'Maybe I should ride the horse and you tie yourself to me so you won't fall or you give me the reins and sleep.'** he suggested.

**'I'm OK. Really. Besides, if I rise up in rank, the more sleepless nights I'll have anyway. Might as well.'**

**'...crazy girl.'**

**'I'm not crazy. Just practically pragmatic so quit being annoying.'**

'Mikasa, translation please?' Eren sweatdropped as Mikasa translated for everyone.

'Commander, did she spend the whole night procuring rations?' Connie asked Erwin who sighed.

'She did. She got us enough meat to last us two months(many eyes popped and some began drooling) since we smoked every last mutton, pork, chicken and beef she brought back with Levi. She also brought back wool and animal skins. Since we didn't know what to do with them, Levi ordered her to gather information in how to make cloth out of what they have...so we know how to make string, weave cloth and how to make leather for clothing. And because she has an oriental to school, she also stole enough writing materials to last a year and some school books. Then once every last citizen is fast asleep, she raided the farms for flour, milk, sugar, coffee and tea...and even robbed Wall Sina's nobility off money so we can fund what she couldn't steal!'

'We got about 100.000 gold coins, silver coins and bronze coins!' said Hange happily. 'We counted! So expect a good salary monthly, provided you live that long!'

Everyone was speechless. The Survey Corps are practically WEALTHY with what the blonde has done.

'...she's got the _balls_ to literally rob nobles?' Jean sputtered out, wide-eyed in disbelief.

'Balls of steel indeed...I don't think we can do that.' Connie chuckled weakly. 'We can't.'

Upon arrival at the Castle...

Levi is extremely UNHAPPY at the state of the castle, and demanded that everybody start cleaning because there's no way every room is even fit for a dog to live in.

The first to be cleaned was the storage rooms and kitchen because of the food they possess. Once the rooms are without dust and grime and food is safely stored, they moved on to cleaning the first floor and second floor, and the outside walls. And someone skilled in Laundry has to do laundry due to all the dust on the beddings. They have to make EVERYTHING habitable and someone will be assigned to make food at some point. So everybody, even Erwin was assigned a room to clean by the stoic neat freak in groups of three to get the job done faster. And nobody is allowed to sneak into the kitchens and storage room when somebody's cooking or he'll make them _clean the urinals and stables off horse poop with just a toothbrush while naked_. He made this threat with the most frightening face he could muster.

This was while Levi snuck a piece of paper to Naruto's hands when he passed her by.

When nobody was looking, she looked at her paper.

'Make servants and make them cook. Make Coffee and Tea, the latter's mine.'

That explained Levi's threat. It was to hide her secret.

xxx

'Erwin.' said Levi as he chose to put him, Hange and Erwin together in a cleaning team just for this talk. 'There's something about Naruto I need to tell the two of you. She gave me the clear.'

'What about her?' Hange asked him.

Levi told them about Naruto's abilities as he had witnessed when they made off with barn animals in abandoned farms in Wall Maria that grew in number...that got Hange drooling in interest even if Naruto is not a Titan but something else entirely. Those abilities were reasons why she insisted on doing 'supply runs' alone in fear of being found out by the government and do who-knows-what to her since she's not normal. She is fiercely loyal to her classmates who 'raised her' so Levi has no doubts of her affiliations with them or of her loyalties. It was because Erwin insisted that Levi go with her on her runs that she was forced to reveal her secret just so they could do the job faster.

'I see...so that's how it is...' Erwin mused thoughtfully as he pictured various scenarios in his head in how to use her abilities for their sakes. 'And she's planning on practicing her healing ability? We can definitely use that skill but her fear is sound. She cannot teach it even though we would want that same power for ourselves. And who would keep her secret and who wouldn't rat her out for a favorable position in the government or military, we don't know.' he said grimly. 'She is important to us, we definitely can't lose that girl to anyone. As a supplier, healer, bomber and now disguised informants...'

'The possibilities are endless.' said Hange as he also had various scenarios even though some of them were different from what Erwin had in mind. 'But she's just a Cadet. She doesn't know a lot unlike us. Moreover she's tutoring Sasuke...she has her limits too and we have to know her limits.'

'50 clones at her max power.' Levi said, glancing at him. 'However, the lesser the clones, the stronger and more lasting she could make them.'

Five hours later...

The cooks sounded the alarm: time for a meal.

xxx

At the first floor closest to the kitchens, Naruto had asked Sasuke to weed the lawns and remove rocks while she cleans the outer walls and windows of the kitchen and storage room.

"Here we go again with the D-Ranks." Sasuke thought sourly. His only consolation was his job was the easiest. Just...uncomfortable on his knees here weeding. It'll be a while before he can remove the damn rocks. Naruto's next job for him was to chop up firewood for cooking, and have the wood dry out in the sun for later use. Can't use them fresh after all.

xxx

'W-w-w-woooow...'

The rookies were more than eager to eat. In each place in the Dining Room, everyone each had a following: A piece of smoked beef steak, five small balls of bread and a bowl of soup with diced onion leaves, and each setting has a coffee mug next to it.

'Nothing too heavy for now since we're still cleaning, I'll make heavier meals at dinnertime.' Naruto told them as they all sat down to eat.

'Well, this looks nice.' said Erwin appreciatively. 'Eat up quick. The sooner our HQ is clean the sooner we can take a break and relax. Tomorrow, all Rookies will learn how things are run here.' They all enjoyed quick meals so they can go back to work.

By the time it was three hours after sundown...

They were all done with the chores, and can finally take baths.

All is well.


	6. A Month of Reprieve

A Month of Reprieve

The next day...

Erwin gave the Rookies their first salary of 5000 bronze pieces and 50 silver pieces. They will now attend Nita's Classes in how the Survey Corps works at 10 am.

'...100 silver pieces...' all of them are stunned at their money, forgetting they also had bronze pieces.

'Most salaries in most jobs are nothing but bronze pieces.' said Krista, petrified and shaking as they looked at their pay. 'And we have to go to the bank just to exchange 500000 bronze into one silver...!' she squeaked in freak out. 'And its 100000 silver to a gold coin!' and it dawned on them just how much money exactly, did Naruto steal off the nobles, that she gave to Erwin when Krista mentioned the exchange rates.

'I never touched a silver in my whole life! Ever! I never even looked at one!' Connie shook giddily in excitement.

'I guess this is how rough our job is.' said Ymir wryly, pocketing her salary. 'Hoo, boy...' she sighed wearily.

'Let's take advantage of this month of reprieve.' Eren suggested. 'All of us here almost owns nothing, we have to buy some stuff for ourselves.'

'I agree...even at camp, we only had three changes of clothes, a pair of shoes and just two sets of uniforms, all wash-and-wear stuff for us.' Sasha complained. 'Its about time we do some shopping here!' she grumbled.

'But try not to spend everything at once or the Commander will get mad.' said Naruto. 'We're now paid soldiers, we gotta be responsible with money. And we're kids so this is our first big test in trust and responsibility.'

'She's right, who knows how long will our first salary last us till our next paycheck.' said Reiner. 'And we get paid every month just like any typical job.'

'The nearest town here is Farnesse Village.' said Connie. 'Let's hope some things there are cheap, yeah? Or maybe send some of these home to our parents...'

'If I were you don't send it. _Take it home yourself_.' Naruto drawled. 'As a criminal and thief myself, what's stopping the courier from getting tempted from pilfering more than a few silvers and ahem, re-forge letters regarding the amount you sent your folks? What if the excuse 'Oh, they'll die soon anyway, the dead don't need money so its mine now' came to their minds so your families will never know you're still alive or get even one silver piece from you?' Connie, Jean and Sasha horribly blanched as the others looked like they were slapped as that indeed, CAN be reality. 'That's reality given how shitty Courier pay is you know!'

'...she's right.' Jean choked in utter paranoia. 'Best we find some time off and bring money home!'

xxx

'You rang, Commander?' Naruto asked Erwin as she came into his office.

'Yes...I heard about your abilities from Levi.' said Erwin. 'Due to how...valuable you are to us, and you have a fellow oriental to take care of, you will only be called to join our excursions when direly needed.' he said in emphasis. 'I have heard of your...first fights from your classmates.' he said. Erwin was long resigned to the fact that he's the only sane man in his corps, with everyone else being a bunch of oddballs and misfits with their weird quirks or that came with being the strongest of humanity.

This one enjoys killing Titans and effortlessly makes a fool out of Titans and cunning enough to make a horde of Aberrants eat each other in trying to get her. That required nerves of steel and daring. 'Your fighting ability is as high as Cadet Ackerman but without fear, it made you a better fighter than her. However, we have two jobs for you. Use your clone to educate your fellow oriental on the topmost floors of the castle to keep it secret. Then make another clone as Hange has special lessons just for you and he'll teach you in another room, and your strongest clone joining your classmates. The real you will be on a supply run job.'

'However, by the end of this month, your two jobs begins.' he said seriously. 'You will function as our informant and spy using your clones and our field medic. You are only to fight when direly needed because the last thing we want is our field medic hurt. And considering what I'm suspecting lately...I want all our bases and hideouts filled with needs and hide them well. You will know what I'm thinking when you talk to Hange.' Naruto nodded. 'Anything of concern?'

'What of Sasuke, Erwin? He seems interested in the Corps, but last I checked, the three year schtick was because of what a pain using the gear is until Mastery so he wants to train.' Naruto pointed out. 'He hates being a freeloader dependent on strangers as he puts it.'

'Humm...' Erwin looked thoughtful.

'By morning, its academics. Then afternoon onwards its training for him. Just like in good old camp days.' Naruto whistled. 'So how soon can we get the gear?'

'We'll have to take his measurements for that.' said Erwin. 'I'll have you and Hange handle that and I'll arrange the rest.' Naruto nodded.

'Oh yeah, some of my old classmates wanted to go home to personally give money to family since I told them its a dumb idea to use Couriers to send money to their families.' Naruto piped up. 'Given what our job is, its dangerous to use Couriers unless its letters.'

'Alright. I'll give them the final week of the month to go home...but in return for that, their lesson hours are longer to compensate to make up for what they'll miss and its with Levi.' Erwin grinned good-naturedly. 'Dismissed.' Naruto bowed politely and left in a hurry to tell her friends the good news.

xxx

'Really? You managed to get a week off for us?!' Jean, Connie and Sasha practically had expressions of sheer happiness, complete with a glowing golden background, sparkles, and clasped hands.

'Well the boss called me for my supply jobs and the topic sorta came up when he asked 'anything else?'' said Naruto, scratching her head. 'However, you three will pay the price!' she barked, pointing at them to scare them stiff as they went ramrod straight with a gulp. 'Since we all have classes under Nita, while everyone else gets normal class hours, you guys get longer tutoring sessions to squeeze in what you'll miss in that week he gave you! In short, you're out of school at sundown and your make-up class teacher is **Levi**!' the three teens paled in horror at the mere thought of the scary Special Ops Leader.

'EHHHHHHH?!' Jean and Connie choked out.

'Hiiiiie!' Sasha was close to fainting in horror from fear.

'There's a price to everything~!' Naruto chirped teasingly while winking. 'Toodaloo~!' and she left them hanging in horror.

'...t-think of the one week home, think of the one week home, think of the one week home...' Sasha whimpered in a mantra while in total freak-out mode in fear while rubbing her hands together. Jean and Connie were chalk white and blue in utter fear of the stoic, stony and scary Corporal and SOS Leader.

xxx

'So I'll be getting a 3DMG too?' Sasuke asked Naruto who smiled. The Survey Corps always wear them whether or not they're in uniform.

'Yeah. But I'll be strict and standards are high.' Naruto smiled sinisterly. 'It was pure hell training just how to move normally in our gear you know...' she purred as she playfully glomped him, causing him to go pink. 'I'll make sure you'll scream and curse my name a lot.'

Sasuke shuddered.

Maybe she's emulating her instructor.

Wait, this Naruto is weaker...

Upon using his Sharingan, he discovered 'this' Naruto is a Kage Bunshin!

'Saa, let's start tutoring lessons~!'

xxx

In Hange's 'classroom'...

'Nice to see you cloney!' Hange greeted jovially, eagerly letting clone-Naruto in. 'Erwin told you about our 'special lessons', right?'

'Hai.' the blonde nodded as Hange offered her a chair.

'Well, we'll begin and after that, you go 'poof', OK?' said the bespectacled man as he made a 'blow up' gesture with his hand. "Ah~! I want to study her so sooo bad but the real thing is working~" he thought with a pout as he prepared his material for his clone student. 'Oh yes, after today, tell your original that for her to study medicine, send in six additional clones to read six medical books while the seventh will study under me.'

xxx

Naruto taught Sasuke the alphabet(German alphabet) and how to pronounce all of them but she had to train him to say 'si' not 'shi' for the letter C and how to control his tongue to properly say the letters L and Z...and how to form words with these letters. Its so annoying its not as easy as 'oriental-nese'!

Sasuke was glad he had the Sharingan to copy and paste everything in his head. This world is so damn complicated with a language to match!

xxx

Next day...

Sasuke's 3DMG came...enabling his Training Classes to start...and standing still and upright is a challenge alone.

'W-what is this...y-you're wearing this every freaking day?!' he gasped out as he was training hard in controlling his body in the harness of the gear that it may as well be a freaking full-body training suit he could hardly lie down straight on his back.

'Yup! Its so we stay in shape so when the dumb shits are here, they're easy to take care of!' Naruto chirped as Levi came out. 'Ah, he's here.' she mused, clapping her hands once. 'Levi's gonna show you his body as a result of the gear usage for years...' she turned to Levi.** 'Levi, thanks for the five minutes!'**

Levi harrumphed as he stripped off at her request, leaving only his boxers and shoes, showing how incredibly ripped, toned and sculpted he is, especially his eight-pack abs and legs to Sasuke who STARED as he was pretty sure not even ninja at home has such a body. She gave him a piece of paper that translated her script in both her native(written in romaji) and foreign tongue so Levi could understand what she's saying.

'See Sasuke? The men's 3D gear is much tougher than that of women's, because as much as I hate to sound negatively sexist, girls are still physically weaker than guys no thanks to our different anatomies and in the military, everyone expects more of men so their gear is nastier than the girls'.' she explained. 'So this,' she said, patting Levi's shoulders with her hands, 'Is the result of full mastery of the gear! If he were to just knee someone in the gut even at his weakest, the poor schmuck won't be able to sit up straight for three days, helplessly curled up in bed and if he kicks you at full power, you're either crippled for life or dead!' she giggled. 'He's a real true master of the gear according to the senpais which also makes him humanity's strongest man, stronger than even our commander.'

**'Can I get dressed now? It's 4 minutes already.'** Levi grunted, embarrassed at the praises she's singing. Even though he hears it from faces he doesn't give a shit about, he gets embarrassed around people he really calls comrades but his perfect poker scowling face doesn't show it. **'And I got a job.'**

**'OK! Thanks for the spare time Levi!'** Naruto smiled as Levi dressed up and left. 'You got a lot to do with the gear!'

Sasuke swore this gear will be the death of him first.

'Oh, and since the arms don't have a harness, training for the arms is different too.' Naruto added as she made him do push-ups...with a sack of sand on his back, and squats in his gear...along with the next few tormentations required to master the gear...that, and chop firewood and tilling the soil...

xxx

'Ah, to think we used to be that pathetic in our younger days.' Jean chuckled as they watched Naruto train Sasuke in the backyard through the windows.

'It was hell standing up alone...yep, I don't miss those days.' Armin sported a grimaced smile, looking back at their training days and multiple screwups till they got it right.

'But it paid off didn't it? We're the toughest people among humanity now!' Eren smiled. 'I think I sort of understand when Nita talked about the Pride of the Survey Corps.' he said wistfully before frowning. 'I also notice that the Military Police no longer wear the gear and only some few Garrison wear them.'

'She seriously asked SOS Leader Levi to strip for Sasuke...' Krista meeped with a blush. 'But I had no idea he's that muscular...I thought he was skinny because he's so small!' she exclaimed. They all thought that since he was small, he's also skinny...that show proved them wrong now!

'Those sleeves sure are deceiving.' Bertholdt whistled. 'How'd he get a body like that?'

'Ask him?' Reiner grinned challengingly as the brunette meeped meekly.

'No way!'

'Not everybody likes it.' said Connie. 'We just bulldozed our way through!' he exclaimed, waving his arms out of expression. 'Do you really want Shadis yelling at your ears all the time?'

'Fuck, no.' Reiner cringed. 'Getting yelled at, I hate it.' he said huffily.

'It doesn't help he can yell loud enough for the entire camp territorial range to hear.' said Mikasa wryly. 'Those days are long gone and my eardrums are recovering.'

xxx

Life was easily studying and getting used to everyone in camp for the rookies. Naruto was divided into four everyday: the real her is in supply runs, putting supplies in every hidden bases in Wall Rose Erwin prepared out of paranoia. All of them are now outfitted with gas supplies, repair tools, medical kits, firewood, flour, sugar, coffee and milk, hidden in secret floorboards while the firewood are typically in the storage rooms. Everyone else will handle the other perishable goods.

In that month, she also sends clones for her other jobs. Tutoring Sasuke, taking Hange's lessons and a clone in Erwin's office, disguised as a cat, awaiting new orders after she reports. After returning home in a month, a lot of changes are done.

'So all our bases are taken care of in Wall Rose?' Erwin asked the clone cat who nodded.

'Nya~ I'll be returning soon. Anything else?'

'No. Get some rest because soon, you'll be sending clones to spy for us. Disperse.' the clone vanished in a poof of smoke. So Erwin took a sigh of relief.

For several years now, he made sure to have good relationships in other divisions and needed people, and made it a point to get Hange and Levi in such levels of relationships with such people...due to what's happened to him and his family when he was young.

He was suspecting the government for years as a result, and he wanted information. Information impossible to get but now...he has access to everything through the blonde. The truth about his father's information and just what is it, that the government keeps secret about.

Secrets that his father died for...and so did hundreds of people.

Including those under his command.

Once those information is obtained, his new subordinates may live longer and maybe, end this conflict between humans and titans. And he'll happily pay his dues someday in hell for the people who died under his leadership.


	7. The Female Titan

The Female Titan

Uzumaki Naruto is by far, the busiest rookie in the Survey Corps. Supply runs, tutoring Sasuke, lessons from Hange, having lessons with her friends and awaiting orders from Erwin. Not only that, she uses her clones to train hard in chakra control and perfecting the two jutsu a blonde woman taught her by paper: Chakra Scalpel and Mystical Palm.

The reason that unlike her other memories, she remembers her abilities was because of Kage Bunshin. The more training she does, the more memories she awakens.

She trained hard using the clones, both in Academic Studies and Training itself. But from whom and when she learned them, UNKNOWN. These memories are solid:

**Chakra Enhanced Strength** (Learned from Tsunade)  
**Cell Activation** (Learned from Tsunade)  
**Chakra Scalpel** (Learned from Shizune)  
**Mystical Palm** (Learned from Shizune)  
**Anesthetic Sleep** (Learned from Shizune)  
**Rasengan** (Learned from Jiraiya)  
**Bunshin Bakuha/Daibakuha** (Learned from Jiraiya)  
**Shunshin** (Learned from Jiraiya)  
**Ninja Basics and Techniques** (Jiraiya corrected her due to Academy Sabotaging)  
**Chakra Control Training and Techniques** (Jiraiya corrected her due to Academy Sabotaging)  
**Koppojutsu** (Learned this from Tsunade through a scroll)  
**Hikaken** (Learned this from Jiraiya through a scroll)  
**Kunoichi Physical Conditioning and Muscular Training** (she got this from Tsunade in a scroll but forgot who she is and memories related)  
**How to make Smoke Bombs** (she got this from Jiraiya by tutelage)  
**Elemental Affinity Training: Wind**(Learned from Jiraiya)  
**Wind Blade**(Sunagakure Ninja Staple, she learned before the Sasuke Retrieval Mission)

When she was still a Jinchuuriki, performing medical arts were extremely difficult for her if healing others, yet she has it easy in healing herself. Now, as an amnesiac without Kyuubi, she could now train hard in them and perfect her skills. The rationale for using Kage Bunshin was that while it creates copies of the user, its forbidden because the user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power. The more clones made, the faster the user gets drained of their chakra that made it impractical in battle unless wisely spent in spying missions, or Bunshin Daibakuha. This technique is more useful in training than for battle.

As for camp, she did NOT follow the Camp Regimen in physical conditioning and muscular training, she followed her memories instead. She did NOT want to end up like Mikasa, Annie and Ymir. Krista was well on her way to a masculine physique yet salvageable, she was able to help her fellow blonde retain her beautiful femininity, and taught her Hikaken. She knew the blonde taught it to Ymir, her closest friend in camp that Ymir also took to learning with Krista under Naruto. As for Koppojutsu, she taught Mikasa during their tutor sessions together, because she wanted power to protect her only family left, Eren and their friend Armin. She had to ask the girls she taught to keep the techniques secret because she could NOT explain why she remembers it at the time. They agreed.

Anything the clones learn or experience is transferred to the user once they are dispersed. This makes the technique ideal for spying, since the user can simply send a clone to spy on a target, then have the clone disperse itself without returning, to pass the information back to the user and never forget what they learned by using clones. Similarly, because they are clones of the original, any chakra that the clone possesses will return to the original after being dispelled. Conversely, the reverse is also true and the original is still able to manipulate the chakra of the clones. It's also useful for training purposes, since the total amount of experience the user gains is multiplied by the total number of clones being used to train. While the technique can be extremely beneficial, attempting to use multiple clones for training purposes can be mentally harmful to the user, as not only is all the experience collected by the user, but so is all the mental stress from training each clone.

She learned this from a white-haired man she fondly called 'ero-sennin' for some reason. This was because of her sabotaged education growing up a man named Kakashi should have corrected, she could use clones and make up for said cruel sabotaging of her by her teachers and he taught her the correct way to do everything with sheer patience and made it as simple as possible for her because her language was also poor, that she also had to study their language using clones!

When a fat boy's(Choji) mother taught her how to cook and remembered cooking in a big restaurant kitchen, she used clones to learn faster and never forget. She learned about ingredients and substitutions, meat tenderizing techniques, knife cutting techniques, cooking techniques, food preservation methods, condiments and their uses and finally, food recipes itself. She knows how to make broth and soup stock, and sauces from various ingredients as well. But as this country doesn't have some ingredients needed, she could only teach recipes wherein ingredients are readily accessible.

She uses cheese, caramel or fruit jams as filling for Dorayaki and Anpan as this country does not have bean paste. She knows how to make Castella, fruit pies, cookies, biscuits, Gyoza, Clear Soups, Stews, Hotpots, Yakitori, Baked Chicken, Grilled Chicken, Nikujaga, Kushikatsu, Kushiyaki, Teriyaki, Yakitori, Yakiniku, Karaage, stir-fried rice and vegetables, Soft-Boiled Eggs, Scrambled Eggs, Sunny-Side-Ups, Poached Eggs, Omelets, Baked Eggs, Quiche, and Purin. These dishes she could make with available resources. Everything else, is beyond reach forever.

Her solid memories were due to Kage Bunshins that she could never forget no matter what circumstance. Not even amnesia. Hange keeps records of what she clearly remembers because of her technique, and others she naturally remembers...and learned how to make Smoke Bombs from her, giving them a neat tool for escape. Since resources are available, it CAN be made. They just needed a mold for it, making Erwin take Hange and Naruto to the Weaponsmith Angel Aaltonen to get the bombs manufactured for the Survey Corps' use. However, as Erwin is fully aware to what happens when Humanity makes 'a very advanced advance', he asked Angel to keep quiet about the new development if only for the smith's sake and life. Angel agreed to the project, and Erwin paid him 1000 Gold and 5000 Silver to fund his work AND a 'just incase' if he were to be discovered, he could run and hide and live comfortably. Due to the amount of money given to him, the Survey Corps can get their bombs from him without pay...for 20 years.

After two weeks of doing supply runs, she was able to focus more in training and studies as ordered by Erwin...and since she could not cook due to her too many jobs and secret training, gave Petra a compiled list of recipes she remembers for her to do and she's more than happy to...for some reason Naruto didn't know about nor cared as its not her business...

And thanks to this technique, she's well on her way to becoming a Doctor, and a well-trained Spy from Hange.

When their month of reprieve ended...it begins.

57th Expedition starting from Karanese District...a district that's part of Wall Maria, a Titan-Infested Town by now. Their job is to clear it up, and kill as many as possible while still surviving today.

'Sasuke, we'll be going out on our expedition.' Naruto told Sasuke as everyone geared up to go. 'Stay here, stay put and behave, alright?' she asked, placing her hands on his shoulders.

'I'm not a kid anymore!' Sasuke grumbled at being treated this way. He then sighed and looked at her seriously. 'Will you return alive?'

'Of course!' Naruto smirked. 'I'm a member of the Survey Corps, the strongest of humanity! I'll come back alive!' and she ran off for her horse...that wore her old hitai-ate around its neck. Everyone gathered in the stables to get their horses.

She affectionately named the poor horse 'Ero-Sennin' because of a white-haired perverted, but kind and patient old man she remembers, was her teacher but she couldn't remember his name or age and she was clearly fond of the memory.

EVERYONE felt sorry for her horse, when Mikasa translated _what the name means_.

'Her horse's name literally means 'perverted old hermit'.' she spoke in an utterly flat and deadpan voice when Eren asked her.

A lot of people face-faulted. Erwin palmed his face in exasperation, wondering why its always the weird ones. Levi and Oluo's jaws dropped, utterly gobsmacked.

'Change your horse's name!' Oluo scolded as they set out. 'Don't you feel sorry for it? You named it 'perverted old hermit' for crying out loud!'

'Well I still don't remember his name!' Naruto huffed. 'I'll change Ero-Sennin's name when I remember the name of my teacher!'

'At least change it into something decent!'

'No way!'

'Don't make me make it into an order Rookie!'

'We don't have time for that now, we're on tight schedule you know!' Hange scolded, while sputtering in exasperation himself.

'O-Onward!' Erwin choked out, still recovering from the incredulity of this morning, thus ending up not sounding as a commander should, as they left for Karanese.

It took them five hours to get there on horse, to a Wall Rose Gate where the Garrison are assigned to.

'COMMANDER IT'S TIME!' a Garrison member yelled. 'TITANS IN THE VICINITY ARE BEING KEPT AWAY! 30 SECONDS TILL THE GATE OPENS!'

'AT LAST, MANKIND IS ABOUT TO MAKE ANOTHER STEP FORWARD! SHOW THE RESULTS OF YOUR TRAINING!'

'OHHHHHH!'

'OPEN THE GATE!' Erwin commanded as the Garrison began opening the gate. 'THE 57TH EXPEDITION TO THE OUTSIDE WALLS BEGINS NOW! ADVANCE!' Not even long after they got out of Wall Rose, a Titan came.

'10M CLASS, APPROACHING FROM THE LEFT!'

'DAMN IT, IT GOT THROUGH?!'

'DEFEND THE FORMATION AT ALL COSTS!'

'ADVANCE!'

In this formation, there are several squads with given duties in the form of a semi-circular form that ensures all soldiers can see in all directions.

Erwin's Squad handles Command, the Rookies handle the Spare Horses and Information Relay, Levi's SOS on Standby for Attack.

Should a Titan appear, the Relay Squads will fire their Red Flares to relay information to Erwin who will fire his Green Flare and enable him to lead the squad into in as little time as possible to avoid casualties and avoid the Titans in a big distance gap, and still enable them to advance to their destination.

However, things soon went south when...a female Titan came...too fast to boot...

'What the hell?!'

'A Deviant!'

'SCATTER!' all squads scattered at once, but the Female Titan created a royal mess that squads got separated from others.

'Deviants we met so far are total flakes, yet this one is jogging like a sportsman?!' Naruto gasped out in total amazement as the female skin-less Titan is literally jogging like an athlete.

'Don't be so amazed at it!' Connie wailed. 'A smart Titan is a badder Titan!' he cried as they looked behind them. The Titan...was gunning for THEM! And it was focused on them, too. Too focused to their liking.

'Stay close Connie! This one's smart!' Naruto cried in alarm. 'I know that look on her face anywhere...!'

It was trying to kill Naruto.

'CONNIE, IT WANTS ME FOR SOME REASON! RUN! I'LL HOLD IT OFF!' Naruto yelled grimly. 'TELL EVERYBODY!'

'HIII!' Connie ran off and barely dodged a swipe at him and Naruto waited until Connie is completely gone.

'Now then blondie...' Naruto grinned ferally as she got her blades ready. 'Time to fuck with you.' she stood up on her horse and disappeared using Shunshin while making a play with a bomb...and more bombs thrown at the giant's face...before Naruto cut off her arms and torso with her Wind Blade technique. The limbs and waist-down faded away and she was starting to regenerate as Naruto landed on her back and the Titan's eyes widened as she saw Naruto's playful smile.

'Humm...Hange-senpai might want you as a souvenir. He wants to study Titans after all.' she smiled as she cut off its head, safely protecting the nape, ensuring its still alive...and all efforts to regenerate, she hacks off...

xxx

'A female Titan so focused on her?!' Levi frowned at the report. 'Where is she?!'

'She's by the forest of giant trees where she insisted I leave her sir!' Connie wailed in total freak-out. 'She told me to go!'

'S-she'll be fine Connie...she made fools out of Aberrants before, she can definitely do it again!' Sasha stammered out hopefully. She was the only survivor of her squad and happily joined Levi's division.

'But that Titan is different from your typical Aberrant!' Connie insisted. 'It looked focused and definitely knows what its doing! It has some brains! Our usual Aberrants are usually total flakes but this one is smart! We gotta go! The two of us got separated from everybody, she's alone!'

'Tch, let's go see if she's OK! Move!'

And they found her 15 minutes later, sitting beside a Titan's head with an intact nape. Her horse not too far.

Its still alive.

'Oy, why haven't you killed it yet?' Levi snarked out as all attempts to regenerate fast, quickly hacked off by the blonde girl.

'Oh, Hange-senpai might want her as a souvenir...you don't get smart Aberrants everyday, he'll definitely get turned-on with this one!' Naruto chirped and her words made Levi's squad shudder. 'Look at it's eyes, it's smart!' she said enthusiastically. Levi walked closely to the female aberrant and looked at it's face...

It looked at him in utter contempt as well as fear. Fear that she was at their mercy and it was making nervous whimpers.

There was a spark that Levi didn't like.

'...forget Hange. This one is dangerous to bring home.' Levi killed her himself. 'If it regenerated inside the walls and WE brought her home, a smart Titan, everybody will bitch at US.'

'You saw it too eh?' Naruto smirked.

'Yeah. Its too damn smart and smart Titans are better off dead. Hange can settle for studying the stupid ones.' Levi grunted. 'Let's go!' and they left...

As the head of the Female Titan faded away...

Annie Leonhart also died that day.

During her time of helpless captivity, she realized how dangerous Naruto truly is. She didn't know that the girl carried smoke bombs. She tried to kill her first as not even Levi, humanity's strongest soldier dared to play with a horde of Aberrants yet she did. She is instantly the strongest in her book and she MUST DIE. However, her limbs and half her body got all sliced off.

How?

Its too fast. Too fast!

Not even their blades are THAT sharp yet she hacked her off in pieces!

She tried crystallizing her whole neck to protect herself in a bid to regenerate, but she hacked it off effortlessly...her crystal ability, cut like hot knife to butter...how?

She was also keeping her alive, telling her how Hange would love to study a smart Titan thus wishing to bring her back home into the walls.

Yes, the walls...

She would bide her time and wait for an opportunity to regenerate instantly, escape and disappear.

However, one factor she didn't take into account...Levi himself.

Levi came...and killed her.

Her last moments as she faded away were spent, remembering her whole childhood of training under her father...her mission...her time at Camp...

At least...she no longer has to do this.

She just wished she could have come back home, one last time before she died.

As the Survey Corps left...

Nobody saw her cry as the last bits of her head faded away.


	8. A New Mission

A New Mission

Because of how Hange will go batshit insane from losing a golden opportunity, Levi made everyone shut up about the female titan.

Even if Armin talked about it at camp at how dangerous and smart it is considering what its done and somehow, he, Reiner and Jean miraculously made it out alive until Krista got to them with their horses. He hoped they'll never see it again!

Levi's platoon swore to stay silent and Connie, Sasha and Naruto kept quiet. They continued on their mission despite losing some numbers...and everyone brought back home a lot meat as a treat. Levi and Naruto led them to the abandoned farms where cattle grew up all by themselves and are numerous in numbers compared to the farms within Wall Rose and Sina. And due to the short ends of sticks they got as Survey Corps, this farm is their secret, and those who have families among the Division can bring home the meat to their families.

Meat.

A very expensive commodity these days but for the Survey Corps, its a very cheap, easily-available resource.

Just that, they have to wash the meat real well first.

But that night...

Erwin tasked Levi's SOS and Naruto to find the hole in Shiganshina...and find plausible ways to seal the hole so that once they clean up house someday, the people can take back Wall Maria.

This was to the horror of everyone else in the farm.

'C-Commander, you can't be serious?!' Eren yelped. 'Going...there?' images of horror visions flashed through his and his friends' minds as to what happened in Shiganshina District.

'This was our task too.' said Erwin. 'Its why so many people has to die just to make humanity's territory bigger. These were our orders from the top as those stupid nobles are complaining how space got cramped.' he grumbled. 'They didn't give a damn about Maria's people and the circumstances they're in.' Eren, Mikasa and Armin choked in shock. 'For Maria's people as well, we have to retake the wall. I'm receiving reports that they're having a hard time looking for jobs and living conditions in Wall Rose as most places are occupied, they'll be happy to have their homes back if we succeed in giving them their lives back.'

'As for why just Levi and Naruto, its pretty-much self-explanatory.' Erwin continued. 'They're our strongest fighters and the most likely to survive and return home alive out of all of us combined. The rest of us will return. Mikasa, you will take over Naruto's job in educating Sasuke Uchiha.'

'Very well.' Mikasa sighed.

'Once we're done with this farm, Hange will give both of you a gas tank to resupply your canisters...and mission will begin.' Erwin instructed. 'Once Levi and Naruto found a way to seal the hole...needless to say, a lot of us will die just to seal that hole alone, let alone take back Wall Maria.' he said heavily with a pained expression on his face. 'If I were to die, Hange and Levi will decide who between them, will be your next Commander. No one is to leave this camp otherwise until we return to base. Other than Levi and Naruto, attendance checking will be strict.'

xxx

'Well, this is basically a suicide job only we can handle...' Naruto whistled as they fed and watered their horses in preparation for their journey, as well as preparing their gas tanks.

'That's because only three people know the truth about you.' Levi told her in a deadpan voice. 'We can't risk letting more people know until we're sure they're trustworthy. And given your powers, emotions WILL run amuck...such as why didn't you use it for this and that when you could have done this and that...accusations will fly at you.' he told her. 'Right now, Erwin and Hange are testing the waters on who ELSE can be trusted with your powers.'

'Sou ne...' Naruto sighed in depression. 'If only I'm not the only one special...if only there are more like me out there...' she said gloomily.

'For now, you are a Top Level Secret. The two of us will survive with our Combat Abilities and your healing ability to fix us both.'

'Just be sure not to break anything OK? I'm still a bit squeamish in surgery even if I can speed up healing.' Naruto shivered. In half an hour, they left their farm camp at night for their own safeties rather than during the day when Titans would be at full power.

They also took advantage of the fact that Titans are just laying around, weakened due to lack of sunlight. And with Naruto's Clones, all using Wind Blades, it got the job done faster and they effortlessly killed so many. It took them days.

During the day, they would do hit-and-runs while at night, killing stationary titans until they reached Shiganshina District.

'...nice hole.' Naruto whistled dryly at the large hole. 'Bigger than the one at Trost. Any chance Shiganshina has nearby factories for concrete that we could use?'

'Probably limited resources as production stopped five years ago.' Levi told her. 'We'll take what we can get. And right now, no Titans in this town, probably roaming around Wall Rose where most of the chow are.' he said. 'Let's build a thin layer of wall on our own and reinforce it with your energy. That way, we can deceive the Titans into thinking this wall is fixed and we can come up with a bullshit excuse afterward. We need your personal army to get this job done faster.'

Naruto laughed at that.

They went to the Factory closest to the materials needed to make cement, mostly in mountainous crags and such. To make cement, the first step is to quarry the principal raw materials, mainly limestone, clay, and other materials. After quarrying the rock is crushed. This involves several stages. The first crushing reduces the rock to a maximum size of about 6 inches. The rock then goes to secondary crushers or hammer mills for reduction to about 3 inches or smaller. The crushed rock is combined with other ingredients such as iron ore or fly ash and ground, mixed, and fed to a cement kiln. The cement kiln heats all the ingredients to about 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit in huge cylindrical steel rotary kilns lined with special firebrick. Kilns are frequently as much as 12 feet in diameter—large enough to accommodate an automobile and longer in many instances than the height of a 40-story building. The large kilns are mounted with the axis inclined slightly from the horizontal.

The finely ground raw material or the slurry is fed into the higher end. At the lower end is a roaring blast of flame, produced by precisely controlled burning of powdered coal, oil, alternative fuels, or gas under forced draft. As the material moves through the kiln, certain elements are driven off in the form of gases. The remaining elements unite to form a new substance called clinker. Clinker comes out of the kiln as grey balls, about the size of marbles. Clinker is discharged red-hot from the lower end of the kiln and generally is brought down to handling temperature in various types of coolers. The heated air from the coolers is returned to the kilns, a process that saves fuel and increases burning efficiency. After the clinker is cooled, cement plants grind it and mix it with small amounts of gypsum and limestone. Cement is so fine that 1 pound of cement contains 150 billion grains.

With these instructions, Levi had Naruto's clones make as much cement powder as they can while they plan on everything else such as acquisition of Hollow Blocks, metal rods and other things to fix a thin layer of hole to deceive the Titans...while the Survey Corps will be deceiving the populace on bullshit-yet-convincing stories they cooked up together.

So far so good.

It took them hours to build that thin layer of wall laced with chakra and painting over it outside Wall Maria...and returned home to base after leaving behind new clones to keep producing cement, and making sure all those cement bags, metal rods and hollow blocks will be at the houses near the hole for easy access. Then there's food supplies to consider too...and the danger of Titans while constructing.

xxx

Days later...

'So that's what you two have done eh?' Erwin mused as he listened to what the two have managed to accomplish so far.

'Yeah.' said Levi. 'So far its easy thanks to her abilities and we're crazy enough to do it at night but we quickly made our way here when we're about to run out of gas. We're not risking ourselves without supplies of gas.'

'Looks like luck is upon us after several years.' Erwin chuckled. 'Now then, if only I can present our...stories with a straight face, we'd be doing this job.' he said in amusement. 'Oh yes, Shadis delivered a message not long ago. Something about resupplying camp's food supplies. He'll pay us for the job.'

xxx

Back at the lounge...

'Naruto!'

'You're still alive?!'

'How did you guys manage?!'

Came the barrage of such questions.

'One at a time!' Naruto freaked out as she gave Sasuke a long piece of paper in oriental-nese. 'OK, Levi and I headed to Shiganshina District. Most of the buildings are intact, nevermind the holes the Titans made in houses to reach the scared occupants...and while the food there mostly rotted, other necessities aren't such as clothes, shoes and medical supplies. We also found Construction Stores filled with everything we need to fix the stupid hole, so we gathered them all in the houses closest to the wall for easy access for us to patch up the rest of the hole. We fixed a layer of wall where the Titans can see it and we even painted over it so they can no longer get in upon finding no way to get in. We worked at night as its stupid to do it during the day and we really had to rush it...any idea how it feels to work an hour after sundown till dawn the next day?'

Everybody blanched at the mere idea of it.

'Not to mention it took us this long because we had to mow down Titan Population too...and we particularly enjoyed the fact that they're practically immobile at night.' the blonde chuckled. 'We only needed only our blades and not spend so much gas and even made a competition out of who gets to kill more!' she laughed cheerfully.

'You guys...are insane.' Armin choked out with some people sporting sweatdrops and comical flyaway hairs.

'At least its of some help. Less titans, less problems.' said Ymir. 'So that wall you built for deceit will keep them out for quite a bit and soon, cleaning up Wall Maria will take a couple of years now.'

'Yeah. We'll be in our twenties by then assuming we live that long.' Eren pointed out.

'Erwin's gone to report to the higher-ups.' Naruto told them. 'Soon we'll be on Mission Shiganshina once Erwin gets the approval so everyone get ready!' she chirped, clapping her hands as everyone quickly went out.

'...Naruto, do I get to come this time?' Sasuke snarked out. He was worrying that this mission got her eaten by now when she's all he's got in this world yet she returned alive, while remaining unaware of her true abilities.

'You get to. You're practically a Survey Corps trainee right now as we speak.' Naruto playfully finger-flicked his forehead, something that aroused memories of a younger Sasuke with Itachi doing the same gesture to him. 'So, how's progress? I can tell Erwin forked over Mikasa as my replacement while I was gone.'

'Well, things went by the way you wanted it to.' Sasuke grumbled as he lounged on the couch. 'Its boring.'

'Well, survival comes first before boredom complaints!' Naruto huffed. 'To be a Survey Corps, you have to be the best and by being the best, your life expectancy grows longer in this job! Any guy with average skill gets killed too quickly...that's why there's less of our division that came back than when we left. You'd do best to remember that. So for the next few days, no training until Erwin gets back. Get your stuff ready for Mission Shiganshina if it gets approved just incase.'

xxx

Two days later...

Erwin was nursing a headache and looked stressed, and had to be accompanied by some Garrison members as the man was really stressed, haggard and sporting a hot compressor bag on his head.

'Whoa, what happened?' Hange voiced out what EVERYONE wanted to ask.

'I had to endure a shouting match between those Wall Cult fanatics and the Nobles and whoever wins, gets to order us.' Erwin grunted, downing a bottle of wine. Straight. 'In the end, the nobles won by threatening the stupid priest's family so we're fixing the wall.'

'We got what we wanted in the end but why are you getting sloshed?' Levi snarked out.

'Enduring a shouting match between two selfish factions with no common sense and logic in that pile of mush they claim to be brains in their heads is enough to cause me migraines.' Erwin grunted in utter annoyance. 'We'll go tomorrow morning with some Garrison members to get the job done faster while protecting the walls from Titans and the veterans will be fighting while the rookies will be doing the building. Pixis is choosing who gets to go among the Garrison Division.' he said, dismissing his escorts. Once they were far enough... 'This means we'll be enduring several days of poor people food for a while if only for appearance's sakes.'

Everyone groaned.

'I don't like it anymore than you do you know.' said their commander in a dispassionate manner. 'I don't want to go back to such foods either! If it was just us, we could still be the usual!'


	9. Mission Shiganshina

Mission Shiganshina

That same day...

Everyone was given tasks.

Because each division is to procure their own provisions so there is to be no food shortages and complaints in a matter of days.

Naruto was made to design decent food menus so they can plan on what to buy for their provisions. In the days she lived with the Survey Corps, they enjoyed 'oriental cuisine' which they found delicious, and more appetizing than what they all grew up with all their lives, being from poor families. If anyone from the Garrison asks they are to tell them 'they were experimenting on making better food to boost division morale as well as nutrition factor and came up with this-and-that'.

Due to the variety restriction due to lack of meat or its exorbitant price in the market, their food will mostly be vegetables, grains(this world only has wheat, barley, oats, corn, pulses, and oil seeds), eggs, milk, cheese and bread. This time, they really HAVE to buy the food in great quantities just so nobody would question them too much in this mission. Their base has shitloads of enjoyable supplies anyway. For condiments, it'll be spices, soy sauce, and cooking oil. They also brought their many jars of coffee, sugar, and Levi's tea. They need it. Bad.

Needless to say, guarding their food supplies en route to Shiganshina will be quite a task, requiring them all to leave at night for easier travel times despite how crazy that sounded. Erwin had them all fork over their gears for maintenance as a just incase, and he also purchased spare gears and repair tools and Erwin was also out, planning travel strategies with Pixis before everyone is to gather for a one-hour briefing session for their mission before they leave.

In the meantime, their REAL supplies stash, is well-hidden under secret passages nobody would ever suspect.

'Oho? You sure are into a lot of eggs Erwin!' Pixis marveled at their supplies. One wagon is full of leafy and root vegetables, and the other wagon is full of sacks of flour, and big milk containers and the other wagon is full of eggs, condiments and flavorings!

'Well, we don't have meat since the nobles hogged everything that only wealthy civilians can really afford them these days, eggs are our next source of protein now.' said Erwin. 'And we need that in a job like ours.'

'Well, that's rough indeed.' Pixis chuckled, scratching his head. 'We'll start leaving one hour after sundown. Much safer that way.'

'Alright everyone! We will be protecting the Garrison who will be protecting our supplies!' Erwin called out as everyone boarded their horses.

Sasuke is understandably nervous.

'You nervous on your first mission?' Naruto asked her fellow oriental.

'I never rode a horse before.'

'Ah, well just stay calm and focus on riding.' Naruto advised him. 'Horses can sense their rider's feelings. If they're nervous, the horses will go a little coo-coo or in the worst-case scenario, throw you off their backs with an additional painful back kick.' Sasuke balked at that. 'Stay calm. This is your first mission. Since you're still in training, you get to ride with the Garrison. Leave the fights to us.'

Sasuke did not like the idea that he's being protected by her of all people because he was sorely lacking in this world's damn primitive society and culture. That, and he has to hide the fact that he's a ninja. To these people, ninjutsu will be like magic. Sorcery. Witchcraft. He'll be hunted down and executed and the last thing he wanted is to be separated from her. He once asked her about superstitious stuff like magic in their lessons...and she coiled back as if stunned from shock...and practically told her what everyone thinks about it, herself included.

For now, he'll have to settle with physical training, mastery of the damn gear and kenjutsu.

Dammit all.

But since she subtly uses chakra to enhance herself and her other physical work...maybe he can do that too and somehow trigger her memories?

Not for now. Too many witnesses.

Fuuuuck.

xxx

At night...

'You know, this is kinda vindicating.' said Jean as they killed the helpless Titans. 'We lost so many people to these damn scumbags...neighbors, family and school friends and here they are, ripe for the picking.' he grinned vindictively.

'Well, during the day WE'RE the ones ripe for the picking if we get careless.' said Eren with a grunt. 'So yeah, this is nice for a change.'

'Helpless or not, don't get too overconfident and just be done with it! The titans, depending on their strength despite varying sizes take time to lose their energies and its only an hour after sundown despite experiments I took! They can still make chew toys out of you so remain vigilant!' Hange yelled out in reminder.

'Yessir!'

'At least nobody dies this time around.' said Sasha in relief.

'Enjoy now while you still can.' said Mikasa. 'During the day, we'll be hiding in buildings, unseen as soon as we get to the nearest town and not go out.'

'Right!'

'Er Hange, can Titans smell us if we're cooking breakfast and lunch?' Reiner asked Hange nervously.

'Haven't tried that out yet...I was too busy analyzing their physiology, intelligence levels and weaknesses.'

Everybody groaned.

Night 1 went by without a hitch...until when Daybreak began...the Titans are slowly recovering. That, they knew.

They managed to get to the next town in time, with the horses tied to trees outside town where they can eat grass and drink water while they hid in a village to eat and sleep.

Sasuke never realized how tiring their job is until now.

Not even ninja life or training is THIS exhausting. Or is it because they rode horses for several fucking hours?

After er...breakfast around dawn, everyone waited for an hour before sleeping, dead tired.

He was also dead tired. Their rooms somehow having curtains to hide them from Titan sight if any came by and looked into windows for their safeties.

He too, went to sleep, sleeping in a house designated for boys while the girls slept in a different house.

Sleeping in a house full of guys is a real pain. Especially if some of them snored so damn loud they can wake the damn dead.

Needless to say, he moved into another house.

Ahhhh, peace and quiet.

xxx

Hours later...

Around late afternoon while the men fed, watered and bathed the horses, some people cooked dinner.

The Survey Corps were looking forward to dinner actually.

Dinner is bread filled with mango jam, Croquettes filled with crunchy vegetables and potatoes and sweetened soy sauce, and egg drop vegetable soup sweetened with the natural flavors of root vegetables.

Everyone is learning well, Naruto thought. She was teaching as they cooked after all. That way if anything were to happen, there are still some competent cooks left. There are so many ways to use vegetables and baking products while somewhat few ways to cook meat.

After dinner, everyone took a bath, and resumed their journey again until they reached Shiganshina...where the hole is.

The atmosphere around the Survey Corps changed...particularly around Mikasa, Eren and Armin. They looked like someone just died.

Everyone else were 'oh shit'.

They knew that these three were _from here_.

'I never thought we'd actually step foot in here again...' Eren choked out.

'...y-yeah...we're about to pass through my house too...' Armin whimpered.

'Don't worry guys...once we build up the walls again, you guys can live here again.' Naruto reassured them. 'You guys lost a home but as long as you're alive and OK, you can take it back someday.' she said. 'Since Levi and I built up a convincingly copy of the outside walls, the dumb idiots remained outside and its still intact...if we fill it in and kill all Titans within Wall Maria, the people can move back out here. Everyone can finally go home. It'll take months to years and even the next generation but its still possible.'

'Y-yeah...if not us, it'll be everyone else.' Armin stammered out with a gulp and forced smile.

'So cheer up guys!' Naruto chirped with a really infectious smile.

They pitched camp in the houses of the city and set up the working areas.

With the materials prepared beforehand and plans drawn up...everyone began to work...

And Sasuke can clearly see her pouring chakra into the cement and metal frames as well as Hollowblocks. And Hange was ready to support her.

'You OK?' he lip read. 'How long can you keep it up?'

'Uhm, three more batches.' Naruto answered him. 'Its enough for the second and third walls right? That way if it gets kicked again, it won't be broken that easily.' she said.

'I see. Well after that, stop OK? We'll handle the rest. Erwin and I can come up with a good medical excuse.' Hange reassured her. The blonde smiled as she went back to work and Hange talking to others to give instructions. So...they know of chakra...and Hange's fully aware that Naruto is strengthening the 'patch' to be put on the walls. Seems Erwin is in on it too.

Now how to go about this?

It took three to four days to completely make a nice, smooth finish over Wall Maria. They even repainted the walls!

Now all the Garrison and Survey Corps has to worry about, is the Titans within Wall Maria. No more will come from outside. Now they have to deal with a limited number of Titans instead. When they returned home to Wall Rose...

'Erwin, Hange, Levi, I got a bad feeling about this...' Naruto told them.

'What about it Naruto?' Levi asked her.

'While everyone is applauding we're heroes, I felt a spark of malice aimed at us.' she said. 'I guess someone's not too happy about our deeds.'

'Its probably that damned Wall Cult.' Levi scoffed. 'Deal with them silently if given the opportunity.' he instructed.

'Hai.'

'Oy oy Levi, Naruto!' Erwin hissed, stunned at Levi's cold order and Naruto's acceptance.

'Someone wants to stir trouble and keep it that way. Until what? Until we're all dead? Until all humanity is dead because they wanted their beloved gods around? Fuck that.' Levi sneered. 'Besides, we know the truth now.' he said. 'All we have to do is make it simple. The hardest part is not getting caught.'

'What he said.' Naruto giggled. 'Well, we're in for it and we gotta be ready...'


End file.
